#Duke gave me the poster

[bureau-of-mines]

There are two (alcoholic) wolves inside of you

[rockrosethistle]

A list of Nightmare Time episode ideas that I thought of and I think would be cool:

1.) Mr. Chasity has been trying to sell the old Waylon Place for far too long. After trying and failing over and over, he decides to take matters into his own hands by going in himself to see what all the fuss is about. But nothing could have prepared him to meet the real ghosts of Waylon Hall. And boy oh boy do they have shenanigans in store. (The episode would be called 'Unholy Ghost') .

2.) It's been a few months since Hatchetfield was destroyed in that awful 'accident'. Emma and Paul have been living under the aliases Kelly and Ben Bridges. (there can be a joke where Emma doesn't even pretend to care about her alias and Paul cares too much.) They live in Colorado now. Emma's finally started her pot farm, and Paul is working in marketing. For the most part, they have a good life. Only Paul's acting a bit different lately. Emma caught him humming company jingles, tapping his foot to a beat she can't hear. Maybe those spores he inhaled had some effect on him. It's probably nothing, but he's never sung in the shower before...(I don't have a name for this one yet.) .

3.) Max Jägerman is failing remedial algebra. In fact, he's doing so poorly that his dad shells out and hires him a tutor, PJ. (Bryce's nerd from 'Literal Monster.) He reluctantly lets her help him. At first it seems to work and his grades are rising steadily, but as PJ lets her guard down, Max starts to notice some things. Strange symbols scribbled in the margins of her notebook, almost like...jagged smiles? Weird stains on her hands, when she gets too close she smells like roadkill. And there's this white spider that keeps showing up in his room. Sometimes he feels like it's trying to tell him something. Or warn him. Without knowing what he's gotten himself into, Max has to evade getting his soul swallowed by a hungry god of darkness. (The episode is called 'Dirty Dude Soup') .

4.) Charlotte Sweetly is jealous. Her church friend, Carol Davidson, has exactly the kind of life she wants. Charlotte's seen the way her boss talks about his wife, and would give anything for Sam to feel that way about her. One day, Charlotte finally gathers her courage and asks her how she does it. Carol takes pity on her, and decides to reveal an important secret: it's all the product of a ritual, an ancient spell she stumbled upon on a trip to an amusement park. She claims that ever since she did it, her husband can't get enough of her. "I am all he sees. He calls me the apple of his eye." Charlotte doesn't believe her at first, but Carol gave her the instructions, and why the hell not? She tries it. Unfortunately, Charlotte messes up the wording. The spell still works, but not quite as intended. And an all-seeing police officer could be a good thing, but Sam is not a good police officer. (maybe let's call this one 'Omnipocop'. But that's awful to spell so suggestions are welcome) .

5.) While trying to be an assistant, Steph accidentally botches one of Pete's science projects. He forgives her, but she still feels bad even as he assures her it's no big deal, throwing the mix of chemicals out his window just to prove it. What he doesn't know is that the last family that lived in the Spankoffski house buried their dog in the backyard, and Pete's chemical slurry just brought it back to life. On a probably unrelated note, Paul has been trying to ignore the damage he's finding in his apartment. He's been chalking most of the tipped over garbage cans and torn apart cushion up to rats--giant rats?--or maybe a squirrel. But when a decades-old "missing dog" poster shows up on his doorstep, he can't ignore the truth for any longer. (the episode would be called "Patches' Revenge" and I thing it would work because it's just the right amount of weird. It would end with Paul teaming up with the nerds to defeat undead Patches with science.) .

6.) To his utter delight, Miss Holloway finally agreed to go out with Duke on a proper date. Nothing huge, just some ice cream and a walk on the beach. They're both enjoying themselves when Miss Holloway hears something. Duke can't hear it, but he still follows her down the shore to some kind of cave grotto, where she claims the noise is coming from. She tosses a pebble into the water, testing how it might react. A few moments later, the pebble come flying out again. Duke is stunned, but Miss Holloway tosses her ice cream cone. Sure enough, a few moments later is comes flying back, perfectly dry. They've clearly discovered something, and over the next few days, Duke and Miss Holloway experiment and try to learn about the grotto and the water in it. It's too deep to see the bottom, so their tests mostly involve tossing different things to see how they'll react. Little do they know, there was a reason Miss Holloway could hear a noise coming from the cave. There's a reason it drew her in, too. There's something singing to her, something that lives at the bottom of the grotto. And with each thing they feed it, it becomes a little bit stronger...(and then it's called something unassuming like "Wavecrest Cave")

So that's Nightmare Time season four all lined up. Please tell me if you have a good name idea for episodes 2 and 4. Also if anyone wants to use these as writing prompts, be my guest (just tag me so I can read them)

[honeybeebard]

Helping You Remember (Enver Gortash x DarkUrge!Tav)

Summary// Ever since the crash Tav had been stripped of her memories, with nothing but her name and this violent urge inside her body wreaking havoc with every step she took. It was no small feat to control it, or at least tame it, and just when she thought she had gotten it under control a new foe, or an old ally, comes to remind her where she came from.

(I didn’t expect my first fic in the BG3 fandom to be about Gortash. In fact, I have several half-written projects of other characters but for whatever reason this man has recently taken a hold of me and I’m afraid I’ve sunk too deep. This was originally going to be a one-shot but it’s taken on a life of its own and will now be a multi-chapter!

This first chapter is heavy on angst but the next chapter will be better, I promise! I just imagine this is how your companions would react to the news as well as how Gortash gets his foot in the door of reclaiming you. I hope you like it! I normally write for ACOTAR so this was so much fun!) WARNINGS: Heavy angst, Mentions of past Dark Urge actions

It had been a long, painful journey to get to Baldur’s Gate but Tav had made it. Her companions had made it. Everyone was alive and mostly well, save for the tadpole in their brains, the end of the world, and the recent discovery of Tav’s family history. As they made their way to Wrym’s Rock Fortress it was the only thing her mind could focus on. Astarion, Karlach, and Wyll were all too happy to chat about being back but she couldn’t stop thinking about what she was. 

Bhaalspawn.

Parents throughout Baldur’s Gate told stories of her kind to warn their children of the dangers of the world. She felt all the sins of her kin crawling up her back, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze in fear that they would see her for who she was. A monster. It didn’t matter how hard she fought the Urge inside her… her fate seemed to be already written in the stars. How could she save herself from this? She hadn’t even realized they had made it to the doors of the fortress until Astarion gently nudged her arm, giving her a concerned look as she was torn from her thoughts. “Are you alright, darling? You’re looking a bit clammy.” His voice was smooth but she could see the worry in his eyes. He was the first one she had told when she found out, seeking comfort in his arms just as he had done back in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. They didn’t have an official title to whatever their relationship was, sometimes friends and other times lovers, but they were each other’s closest confidants. He understood her better than herself sometimes and he had assured her that whatever she was facing, he would be there to help. So it pained her to lie through her teeth as she mumbled, “Fine. Let’s just get this over with. Hopefully, we can kill two birds with one stone.” Astarion knew she was lying but didn’t press her further, his shoulders tensing slightly as he gave a curt nod and entered the building with the others. The air was buzzing with excitement as everyone awaited the coronation of Lord Gortash. His posters were everywhere, most people hailing him as a hero, but from what she had heard from Karlach he was anything but that. And especially after discovering him at Moonrise, netherstone in the gauntlet decorating his hand, she only felt that anger within her rise more at the ignorance of the city. There was something else too, like a flash of nostalgia, but it flitted from her mind before she could grasp it. Tav shook her head as they made their way up the stairs, preparing for anything as they arrived at the grand hall.

Rows of seats lined the sides as a dark red carpet decorated the ground, leading all the way up to where Duke Ravengard and Gortash stood. Wyll visibly bristled at the sight of his father, his hand steady on the edge of his blade while Karlach slowly began to grow hotter and hotter at the sight of her former friend. 

“I can practically taste his blood from here.” Karlach seethed, her fists clenching. Astarion gave Tav a worrying look, wondering if now, underneath the watchful gaze of multiple Flaming Fists and the Steel Watch, was the right time to pick a fight.

Tav gave him a reassuring smile, turning to Karlach with a solemn expression. “I know you want nothing more than to rip his heart out but here might not be the best place to do it. Let’s hear him out first.” She speaks slowly, hoping to calm the tiefling. 

“Hear him out? He speaks nothing but lies! There is nothing he could say that could be of use to us.” Karlach snarls, turning her heated eyes to her and frowning. 

“Just trust me on this, okay?” Tav pleaded. “I promise that you will be the first one to rip him limb from limb.”

She seemed to calm slightly at Tav’s reassurance, her flames dulling as she nodded once. “I’ll hold you to that, soldier.” Karlach says, following in step as the four of them begin to walk up the aisle.

Gortash is the first to spot them, his lips turning up in a smile as he spies Karlach first. “My eyes must be deceiving me! Karlach, my dear girl, come and be welcome.” His voice was dripping with arrogance, his arms spread wide in greeting. 

“I’m not your dear anything!” Karlach snaps, her hand immediately falling to her weapon. However, just as Tav tries to step in front of them, his dark eyes turn to her and widen in surprise.

“And with you, my, why it’s my favorite bhaalspawn!” He grins as he comes closer to Tav, eyeing her up and down. “I never thought I would see you again either.”

“Wait, you know each other?” Karlach frowns, turning to look at Tav with betrayal in her eyes. 

“I swear I have no memory of him Karlach. I would’ve told you.” She stresses, holding up her hands in innocence while shaking her head rapidly. 

“Oh, I’d forgotten,” Gortash says smugly, chuckling to himself. “Your memories are quite lost aren’t they? Orin told me she’d made a fool of you. And to think you two have traveled together all this time and she hadn’t the faintest idea that you were one of my nearest and dearest.”

This time it was Astarion who spoke, his eyes hard as his jaw clenched. “What do you mean nearest and dearest?” There was a sense of urgency under his tone, something that Tav felt as well as she tried desperately to remember what Gortash already knew.

The dark-haired Lord smirked, taking a deep breath as he turned back to Tav and began to tell fill in the missing puzzle pieces of her memory. “You and I initiated this plot. No one could stand against the Dead Three so, after obtaining the crown, enslaving the brain, and creating a false God to rule the masses, there was little to stand in our way.”

Tav stumbled back a step, her head throbbing and pulse racing. No, she couldn’t have. She couldn’t have formed this plot, couldn’t have worked with Gortash. It wasn’t who she was. Was it? 

“No. I would never.” She whispered, her eyes full of anger while Gortash ignored her and carried on weaving the tale. 

“In Bhaal’s name, you set your bloody dagger to cause panic in the streets, killing in the Absolute’s name,” He smiled again as if recalling a fond memory. It made her want to vomit. “It was all going well until you had vanished, Orin claiming to be the new voice of Bhaal and taking over. She, unlike you, couldn’t control herself. She made a mess of things.”

Her stomach lurched, her knees buckling as bits and pieces of her past flashed through her mind. The blood, the screams, the wicked smile of her reflection as she all but bathed in the slain bodies of the innocent. Astarion noticed her trembling, reaching out to steady her as she tried to block out everything. 

“Have you gone soft?” Gortash asked as he stepped closer to Tav, examining her guilt filled gaze with a disappointed look. “I find that hard to believe. One’s true nature will always rise to the top.”

“That is not my true nature.” She hissed through gritted teeth, rage heating her blood as she pushed out of Astarion’s grasp and walked towards the man before her. “Take it back. Tell me you’re lying.”

“I know you know the truth, Tav.” He coos as if talking to a startled babe. “I can see it in your eyes. That Urge deep within you, clawing at its cage to be unleashed. We had something great, are something great, until you were taken. I tolerated Orin, tolerated Ketheric, but I liked you. We can still finish this together.”

As he finishes his sentence one of his hands comes up to rest on her arm, an intimate gesture that sends feelings of disgust and warmth through her body. She hated this, hated him, hated how little control she felt. Once again she felt a battle in her body between the past and the present. 

“Don’t touch me.” Tav growls, pulling away from him as if she had been burned. “I want nothing to do with you, with this plot. If anything this has only solidified my plans to kill you.”

She could feel Karlach’s approval from behind her, could feel her own body tensing for a fight only to falter when Gortash barked out a harsh laugh. 

“Oh, my dear bhaalspawn, you have no choice.” His eyes were suddenly hard and his tone like ice as he gestured around him. “The quakes are a clear warning. Without all three netherstones ruling the brain, it will break free and complete the Grand Design. Your choices are to join me and rule or subject this entire city, yourself and companions included, to becoming illithids.”

All of her companions shifted uneasily, looking at Tav for guidance. She tried to run through all the scenarios, looking for an out that didn’t include digging herself further into her past self, but the choices remained the same. 

“Together though,” Gortash straightens, giving her a charming smile. “Together we can control the brain. Renew our old partnership.”

“What kind of partnership?” Tav asked cautiously, hating how weak she sounded. Astarion cleared his throat beside her, pleading with her not to do this, but she ignored him. If she was going to find another way out of this she at least needed to get all angles of the problem…and that started with hearing Gortash’s bargain. 

“Let’s discuss it somewhere more private, hm? Away from the prying eyes of both nobles and…your group.” He looked behind her distastefully. “Meet me in my office after the ceremony. Alone.”

And before she can say another word he struts back to the middle of the room, letting the Duke continue with the blasphemous ceremony. Tav immediately motions for her friends to follow her towards the back, ignoring the words of Wyll’s father as she finally takes a moment to breathe.

“You can’t possibly be considering partnering with him.” Astarion huffs. “Please tell me you aren’t that stupid.”

“Look at what he’s done to this city, to my father,” Wyll adds, crossing his arms. “An alliance with Gortash is like asking to be stabbed in the back. He cannot be trusted.” “You’re damn right he can’t be trusted!” Karlach fumes, gnashing her teeth together. “That man is worse than a devil, Tav! He’s just trying to get in your head!”

“Enough!” Tav snapped, rubbing her temples as the pounding returned. Everyone’s opinions, including Gortash’s, were starting to make her head spin. “I know this is…a lot. I can’t process it all myself-”

“What, that you and Gortash created this entire cult, this entire problem that is threatening the lives of millions of people?” Karlach’s voice was rising with each word, her flames growing by the second. “I knew you were a bhaalspawn but Bhaal’s chosen? You are half the bloody reason we are here in the first place!”

“Karlach-” Wyll tries to intervene but she brushes him off, stalking towards Tav and jamming a red hot finger in her chest.

“No, don’t Karlach me.” She snarls, glaring down at her. “Did you not hear what she has done? The acts she committed in Bhaal’s name? Amnesia or not, you all have to see how dangerous she is.”

“I’m not!” Tav protested, tears pricking her eyes as she felt their gazes on her. It was her worst fear realized. “I’m not a monster, I don’t remember doing any of those things. I would never…”

“And yet here you are, ready to make nice with the viper.” Karlach spits, standing to her full height while regarding her with revulsion. “I need time to think.” 

Before Tav can say anything or reach out to plead for forgiveness, she storms off back to the entrance. Wyll looks between the two of them, his eyes full of sadness before he simply shakes his head and follows Karlach. The only one left is Astarion who is staring at her with an unreadable expression.

“Star…” She whispers, throat tight as she tries to reach for him only to physically recoil when he moves away from her hand. It wasn’t much, just a slight sway to the side, but it was enough to make the knife in her gut twist deeper. “Please.”

“I…I need a moment.” He murmurs, bowing his head before following the same path as her companions. Tav can’t stop herself from sinking to the floor, her soul aching as she brings her knees to her chest and cries. She doesn’t care that she’s in a room full of nobles, doesn’t care that everyone is watching her finally break, she just doesn’t care anymore.

Her friends, her entire world ever since escaping that damned nautiloid, had abandoned her. They had found out who she had been and had left her here, alone. Tav wanted to hate them, wanted to curse them, and never see them again, but could she blame them?

She was part of the reason this was all happening in the first place. She had caused all this pain, all this death, in the name of her father. Even if she didn’t remember it that didn’t absolve her of the guilt. If roles were reversed, she would probably question her relationship with the person as well.

“It’s all my fault.” She whispers, pressing her palms against her eyes harshly. The tears were hot as they ran down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking. Tav was so caught up in her emotions she didn’t hear the footsteps approaching her.

It wasn’t until she felt cold, metal claws tip her chin up that she finally came to her senses, blinking up at the man who had just revealed all her immoral acts as if they were nothing. 

“My poor little bhaalspawn,” He purred, using his other hand to pull her up to stand. “All alone again.”

Tav sniffled, feeling vulnerable as he wiped a tear away with his thumb. Her entire body felt numb as he pulled her into his arms, shushing her with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

“Come.” He ordered. “Let me save you once more.” 

[nothnxpls]

Scones and séances

Pls Help me find a prompt/ficlet/text/post on tumblr

guys, I was reading a prompt/ficlet/text about barista danny when I accidentally clicked away. Pls help me find it again. I was not done reading and it and I was quite invested in reading it to completion. :)))

It starts with Danny in Gotham working as a barista. Then he has a group of old ladies come in and he asked an old lady about her order then realised she was a ghost. The other old ladies noticed this and gave him some money to answer their questions about their ghost friend who i think was called Lucienda(I could be remembering worng)

Then danny gets a bunch of people asking him about their ghost loved ones, but danny is like I cannot talk to ghosts. (He only talked to the old ladies because they gave him a very good tip.)

October comes around and his boss is like, we should do something. And somebody suggest to market Danny's ghost speaking thing. And they they come up with scones and séance. One every Friday for October. Danny agrees cause he will be paid extra.

Agent K(i think) came in and was like blå blå blå, u not human and, when he saw the scones and séance sign he was like u are selling your ghost powers to people?!?! But the customers are like shooo get out and his coworker is like you aint a paying customer pls get the fuck out.

And his boss contacted Signal to watch over Danny. And Danny is like thank you that's very nice boss. Best boss in the world, but he was wondering about what exactly was trigger their he is pathetic and innocent that need protection

Also I think that duke thinks that the giw are like gangs members

And then I clicked off. Plss I need to know if the original poster wrote more. Even if they didn't write any more and the post ends in the next paragraph I need closure. Becaese it keeps on sneaking in my thoughts randomly.

[aladaylessecondblog]

the final threshold (enver gortash x good tav)

TW: Sex, oral, Tav feels guilty and is hearing Astarion and Halsin's voices.

Hope you enjoy this, I'm up way too late posting it

-----------------------------------

Tav was thankful to change out of the bridal gown and into something less restrictive, though with it came the downside of being told she would be at Gortash's side for most of the reception.

As the only one close enough to hear them closely was a Steel Watcher, as she held to his arm and waved at a cheering crowd of commoners, she spoke to him through a false smile. "How they don't see through this is a mystery to me."

Through an equally false smile did Gortash's reply come, "The people see what they want to see. And what they want to see right now is us enjoying ourselves."

She couldn't say he was wrong, as they turned from the balcony and walked back into the fortress.

The clanking sounds of the Steel Watcher echoed in the hall as it followed behind them.

"You'll find," he went on, "That they are easy to fool in that way."

"I know what your plan was, and I've seen the posters of your smirking face all over Rivington," Tav replied, "And I've heard them sing your praises from one end of the city to the other."

"And yours, of course. Naturally one hero would enjoy the company of another."

As they neared the door to the reception hall, he lay a hand over the one of hers that was on his arm.

"You're doing admirably, my dear. Simply keep pretending to be the happy, blushing bride a little while longer. Then you can drop the pretense."

Stop being polite, she thought, Be the bastard I know you are. That will make this easier.

The doors opened for them, and Tav took a deep breath as she followed him in.

----------------------------

Tav barely had time to eat before the dancing began. Her first had been with Gortash, and while he sat down to eat, the next was with Wyll.

"Karlach's already left, in case you were looking for her," he said quietly as they moved in a slow circle, "She tried to put up with it, but...you know her. To see you even pretending to be happy about this, with him..."

"I know. Where did you say she was going? I believe Gortash mentioned Moonrise Towers?"

"It seemed fitting," Wyll replied with a slight shrug, "At least, that's what he told me. Her own fortress, her own property, as a sort of...consolation prize. Jaheira...well, she's not happy about this little alliance of ours, but she trusts Karlach, so...they're going to lead a little troop of tieflings and refugees back there to build it into something 'special' again."

"She's gone too." Tav kept her face neutral but asked, "Am I going to lose all of you?"

"It looks like it. Gale is planning to go with them...Minsc, well, where Jaheira goes now, he follows." Another few turns and he added, "At least I won't be too far away."

"Yes, but--" she took in a shaky breath. "I had hoped at least one of you would...would stay. I mean, I have Scratch and the owlbear, but..."

"It can't be today," Wyll replied in a low tone as the dance ended, "But if he mistreats you, if you want out...merely send a letter mentioning the grave we dug for Astarion and Halsin."

She thanked him for his concern, and was able to sit out the next dance. Unfortunately, it was done sitting beside Gortash.

"I don't see any of your friends here besides the Grand Duke," he said quietly, after draining half a glass of wine, "Whatever happened to them?"

"They've already left," Tav replied evenly, sipping at her own glass. "Karlach is not best pleased by all this, as I'm sure you understand."

"Of course. And the rest?"

"Are going with her."

"A pity." He gave a small sound in his throat almost like a laugh and set his glass back down. "Her I could understand, but the rest...I thought surely their concern for you might outweigh their dislike of me."

Tav did not reply, and finished her glass.

The dance they were watching concluded; Gortash stood and extended his hand to her for the next.

"We have a crowd to please, my dear," he said in a tone slightly louder than normal, "It seems we must make ourselves a display once again."

She didn't want to, but she took his hand and moved onto the dance floor once again.

"You don't have to keep doing that," not meeting his eyes as she whispered, "Stop--pretending to be so--"

"Nice? Polite? ...charming?" Gortash gave a little smirk and leaned momentarily close enough to make a whisper of his own against her ear. "Can't a man enjoy his bride?"

Then he drew back.

"You'll be taking enough from me tonight as it is--" Tav started, but went quiet as they moved too near another couple.

"You wound me, Tav," he went on, "Really, now, what kind of monster do you think I am?"

"Do you want the reasons in the order they happened, or alphabetically?"

"Please," Gortash huffed and moved back to raise his arm and spin her in a slow circle before coming forward again, "You are far too valuable to mistreat, and you've taken care of more than a few problems for me. You are grieving a loss, but..."

"Do NOT," Tav seethed as quietly as possible, "Ever. Mention that to me again."

The dance ended soon after, and she pasted a smile back on.

"The point, my lady," Gortash brought one of her hands up to press a kiss to her fingers, and met her eyes as he did it, "You have nothing to fear from me."

She would almost have preferred if she did.

-------------------------------------------------

In a similar vein did the rest of the reception pass away. At some point, however, Gortash lead her away amidst a few jokes about drow from his titled noblemen.

Tav ignored them, and was silent all the way back to what she assumed would be their quarters. An opulent and almost gaudy room, full of silks and expensive furnishings and quite possibly the largest bed she'd ever seen.

Stay calm. This will be the easy part...you just have to ignore who you're doing it with.

"Your room is through that door," Gortash gestured to a door on the far side of the room, "You'll find your new wardrobe already settled in it, along with...the rest of your belongings."

Then he moved towards a desk on the other side of the bed.

"I suppose once I've changed you will--take your rights?"

"We've no need for that," he said, already taking a seat, "At least not tonight. It's not as if anyone is going to demand a bloody sheet...not that we could provide one."

"You are the first man I've ever met that wasn't eager to get to it," Tav walked to the other side of the bed, the side nearest the desk, and leaned back against the overlarge comforter. "Most men would jump at the chance."

"And you call ME arrogant," Gortash replied. He seemed to be flipping through papers and sketches--Tav recognized a few blueprints as Steel Watchers. "Men like me do not have time to indulge overmuch in carnal pleasures."

"Do you not like women?"

"Of course I do, I simply have not the obsession with sex that other men do. If I had a preference for men," he spoke shortly as he flipped over one blueprint for another, "You and I would have a very different sort of arrangement right now."

"I wouldn't have agreed to be your broodmare."

"But you would have for men far less suited to fatherhood."

"They would have been wonderful--"

It was a knife in her heart, to confront her with the idea. Tav stumbled over the sentence and let it trail off as the thought and the images of Astarion and Halsin cascaded through her mind. Perhaps a temporary look of fear in Astarion's eyes, to be replaced by a smug surety, and Oh, my dear, of COURSE a seed of mine has taken root.

Then Halsin came to mind.

Cubs, my heart? What wonderful news!.

Tav shut her eyes and gulped at the thought, only glad that Gortash hadn't noticed. She wanted the images to stop, the voices to go away. She wanted silence again.

And she could think of only one way to do that right now.

"If you change your mind," she said, "I--you know where to find me."

He didn't respond, and despite everything it grated at her. Was she not worth even looking at, now he had what he wanted? Perhaps now he had her alone, he could stop pretending he actually wanted this as well. She was only there as a tool, after all, a part of his plan to continue ruling over Baldur's Gate. The blessed lady to do the charity he had no desire to involve himself in. Eventually he would need an heir, and perhaps THEN--

If I am going to be stuck with this horrible man I have to at least make him want me.

She hated Gortash, hated all that he was and did, but she hated the idea of being alone even more. Being alone meant quiet, and quiet meant that thoughts of her two loves would drift in. And that--

Darling, you can't pine over us forever, Astarion's voice seemed to sound off in Tav's head as she retreated to her room. I know I'm worth remembering, but you never smile when you think of me now.

Nor I. It is the way of nature to take after giving. Let us go, Halsin's voice echoed soon after. Let us go, thrive, and make good from all the bad you find yourself surrounded with. As you always do.

Her own room was smaller, if a little less richly decorated than Gortash's. There were spiderlike touches in the curtains of the bed and one of the rugs, and everything in general seemed to have a darker tone. Someone had been told to do some work, clearly, and had probably heard "drow" and gone off that alone.

"M'lady?"

The voice belonged to a maid who appeared to be dusting the desk in the corner. A chubby dwarf woman, who gave a quick bow when Tav looked at her.

"And--who are you?"

"Berlina, m'lady," the woman said, "Your chambermaid. His lordship wanted things made ready for you, and I was handling that, only I didn't--expect you would be here so early. That is, I thought you would be...busy."

"His lordship is tired out from the day," Tav said, inwardly hating how easy it was to slip into this role, "If you're not done cleaning, that's fine, I have spent long enough on the road that anything is cleaner than a tent."

"If you'd like a bath, one's being drawn now."

The second she was able, she went right to the bath, whereupon she cleaned up and tried not to relax too much.

Imagine the trouble we could get into here...

I would never feel comfortable here. Give me a river and a bar of soap, I need no tub but what nature provides.

Again, the voices, and again, the stab of pain. Tav sucked in a sharp breath and tried not to focus on them as she washed up. She looked instead at the advancing loss of her dark skin...it had stopped when she hit adulthood, but since the tadpole got into her head there had been an additional loss of color around her hands. The fingers of her left hand had lost their color entirely, where before there had been at least some drow-dark skin and her thumb had been wholly so.

On her legs, her stomach, even her face, the spreading loss was obvious.

Your skin is beautiful, my heart.

Our patchwork doll, Astarion's voice followed up. It only showed the world that the bear and I had something special.

"Just leave me be," Tav said quietly, rubbing her eyes, "Why do you haunt me still?"

Because you will not let us go.

She finished bathing and dried off. The moment she had fastened the belt of the robe she'd grabbed Berlina reappeared.

"M'lady, I'm sorry to bother you, but--"

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, no," she said, "Only, his lordship--ah--has requested your company."

That didn't take long. Perhaps he realized what he was missing, turning you down.

Tav took a deep breath and crossed her bedroom to walk back into Gortash's, though she half expected this to be a ruse for...something, she wasn't sure what. She kept one hand behind her back as she walked back in, ready to cast a spell...just in case. No armor, and nothing but the robe and the choker with the netherstone. She felt more bare than she actually was...

Gortash was no longer at the desk in his full and regular armor, or robe, or whatever it had been. He was on the other side of the bed, leaning back against it as she had done.

Only now, he wasn't in his usual robe.

Just a pair of black trousers.

(She hated the stirring thought that the sight of his bare chest gave.)

"You changed your mind," Tav said flatly, "One might wonder why."

She refused to look at him, but walked slowly forward.

"One might wonder why all the fools of this city are not as...compliant...as you. Perhaps I simply needed a reminder of that in the form of...well, it's not your concern, really." There was a definite smugness in Gortash's tone, "Do you so eagerly offer yourself up to every man you meet? Should I be worried that my new wife will consider a career at Sharess's Caress?"

"I made vows. I intend to keep them."

There was a pause. Gortash seemed to be waiting for something.

"Do as you wish," Tav finally said, "So long as I don't have to look you in the eye."

"Drop the robe."

His tone was not especially cruel, but definitely meant to remind her which of them was in charge. He'd said he wouldn't mistreat her, so why--?

He's one of THOSE types, she realized. I can work with this.

Tav untied the belt of her robe and shrugged it off. The fabric pooled at her feet, leaving her now wearing only the velvet necklace that held the netherstone. The look of appraisal was followed soon after by a wicked grin.

When she stepped forward again, Gortash's hands came up and pulled her close against him, directly into a heated kiss--

The bridge is crossed, the thought came. You can't go back now.

Tav returned the kiss somewhat gingerly, moving her hands up to his shoulders as the taste of the wine they'd both drunk crossed her tongue once again. He raised his hands to the back of her head, keeping her in place as his tongue pushed past her lips, tangling--

He broke the kiss just as she was about to, let them both breathe, and moved in again.

It was more fervent this time, and repeated when she broke for air again, and then the third time too. When she pulled back a fourth time he smirked against her lips, "I wonder what else that mouth can do?"

"Whatever you want it to do," Tav said quietly, "Or did you call me in here just to admire the thing you put your name on?"

Oh, very good, kitten...

"I remain shocked," Gortash growled, but not in an angry way, as his hands moved down to her hips and squeezed tightly at her ass, "That you weren't already working at Sharess's Caress."

She was pulled closer still, and at this point if she had remained unconvinced he preferred women, the bulge in his trousers would have done the job.

"They've already got a couple drow anyway."

Be witty. Be compliant, but resist just slightly, to keep him wanting. Make him happy, and you'll have the only friend that matters in this wretched city.

The dominant is dominant for a reason, after all.

"Kneel," he said suddenly, "And show me why I've made a good choice."

As she obeyed his hands were back up. As she shifted to get into a comfortable position there was the sound of his belt, which dropped to the floor soon after. The trousers lowered just enough--

"How long are you going to make me wait?" she asked.

Gortash silenced her a moment later by pressing the tip of his cock to her lips. One hand, the hand with his glove, moved to the back of her head and gripped--but not painfully--at her hair.

Tav hesitated only a moment. Then she wrapped her lips around the tip and slowly moved her head down until she'd taken all of him. He moaned softly, and as she started to move he didn't seem to feel the need to do anything more.

"Ahh, yes, good," he groaned, "We are going to be quite happy...I can see that\."

(She hated--hated, hated--how wet she already was.)

Tav groaned around his cock and began to bob her head more quickly. He groaned and his fingers tightened, bringing with them a slight sting in the back of her head. She expected him to make some quip about how she must have done this for someone else--but he didn't.

She pulled back, teased at the underside of his cock's head with her tongue, and was rewarded with another groan. Then she moved back down again, but more slowly than before.

"So--eager--"

When she'd taken all of him, her nose pressed firmly against his lower abdomen, she heard something else. Something low, a whisper she was obviously not meant to hear.

"Gods..."

The grip in her hair turned to iron, and Tav would have smirked had her mouth not been otherwise occupied. A moment later, he started moving against her head, not letting her do the work any longer.

"You are...a talented woman...aren't you?"

Tav couldn't answer.

"I wonder what those companions of yours would say if they could see you now," Gortash's voice was less shaky here. More certain, more devious. "On your knees...for ME."

Another pause, a pull back that let her breathe, that let a dangling string of pre hang in the barest distance between her lips and the tip of his cock.

"They would think you'd made me do it."

"Perhaps. But I'm not making you do any of this." He paused and started speaking again, punctuating each word with another thrust. "Yet. here. we. ARE."

Tav thought he would keep going, and brought her tongue up as best she could, hoping to have him finish now from its caresses over him. But as he pulsed in her mouth, the very second she thought he would finish--

Gortash pulled back, exposing his by now well-sucked cock to the open air.

She breathed hard for a few moments.

"Up--" he demanded quickly, "--now."

Tav stood, then found herself suddenly turned and pressed against the edge of the bed. A slight lift and now she was seated on it. He spread her legs, brought his other hand forward--

Do it quickly. I want to be senseless. I want to--

For just a moment there was a sensation of horror.

You want to forget us, my pet?

The first stroke of his fingers found her wet and ready, and she loathed how good they felt against her. The first moan she could suppress easily, but when in his slow exploration he brushed over her clit--

--her body jerked involutarily, and the moan would not be held back so easily.

"Mmm," Gortash gave a dark chuckle against her jaw as his fingertips pressed against the spot again, "So that's where it is."

A firmer touch now, a press down, and Tav choked back a groan he still half-heard, as well as a sudden sharp breath he definitely did.

"Already willing," he said, stroking steadily now, whispering in her ear with his five o' clock shadowed cheek pressed against her smooth one, "Already eager. How long have you wanted this?"

"Stop--teasing--"

"That's half the fun," he replied, seeming amused at how tightly Tav was gripping the sheets beneath her. "And if you hadn't done your job so well, perhaps I'd indulge in it more."

Those fingers, those devilish fingers, he pushed them forward, knuckle-deep, in one swift movement.

"Oh..." Tav didn't even bother trying to hold back the moan then.

(For a moment...just a moment, the pleasure blocked out all the unpleasantness that threatened to drown her mind)

"Tell me...you want it," Gortash whispered slowly, "Or is this all an act?"

Back his hand came, leaving her empty--empty, and infuriatingly needy. She hated him and craved him by turns.

"I've changed my mind," he said, pressing closer, his cock not an inch away from thrusting inside her, "This is the moment that makes me ask what they would think."

Gortash gave her no time to reply. A breath later he thrust forward, and Tav let out a moan that would make the brothels proud. Then a whimper at his size, the way his cock stretched her.

(She'd taken bigger, why was he--)

It was overwhelming, the sudden rush of pleasure, and it only grew as he began to thrust in earnest. She let herself fall back and look up at him in a haze of lusty heat, almost welcomed the touch of his hands on her breasts, the hard thrust that practically took her breath away.

Harder, she thought, Take the pain away. Make the voices leave me be.

As if he'd heard her, Gortash started to move more quickly.

"Gods--"

It was her who said it this time, but she couldn't even try to keep it quiet.

(The voices were finally gone)

Tav felt the end leap and then fall away suddenly. A moment later Gortash's hands were on either side of her head and he'd come down, his chest pressed close against hers; his lips hovering and ghosting his breath hotly over her neck. She crossed her legs behind him, feeling both the growing tenseness and a growing dread.

This is going to make it real. This is the point of no return.

The thought was momentarily chilling.

If you let him do it--

After a sudden, unbearable plateauing of the ecstasy, it broke all at once. She called out--shuddered beneath him as the fire seized her, brought her to that fine point of the seat of lust for a glorious five or six seconds, and then let her fall away again.

He'd started to move back, but Tav tightened the grip of her legs around him--he gave a sudden strangled groan and then his whole body jerked.

It was over.

They lay there together, breathing hard for a minute or two before Gortah stood back up and withdrew from her.

Tav couldn't make herself look at him, was glad he didn't seem interested in making her.

You let him spill inside you. You can't go back now.

"Well," he mused in a tired voice that sounded nevertheless highly pleased, "If that is what my lady brings to the table, she shall find her lord an eager lover indeed."

What would they think of you now, if they saw you? They'd be disgusted with you, as they should be, she thought.

"Come now, my lady," Gortash said, "We should get some rest. I believe we've had enough excitement for one day. But...do be sure and let me know if you'd like any more."

Gods, I hate you, Tav thought, but when a stab of guilt pierced her mind, she could only add, But I think I hate myself more.

[killiansprincss]

TIMELESS - A NEW CAPTAIN SWAN FIC 5/19

Summary: Season 3 divergence - When Zelenas time portal works, Henry wakes up alone in Storybrooke and must travel to the Enchanted Forest to get his family back. Only once he gets there he quickly realises its not like the one in his book, theres no Evil Queen and his mother Emma wasn't put through a wardrobe, theres even a poster inviting the entire kingdom to her engagement ball, to Hook. What will happen once Henry gets them to break this new curse and they get their memories back?

In which every chapter is based on a Taylor Swift song

Previous Chapters | AO3

CHAPTER 5 - THE BEST DAY

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall

But I know you're not scared of anything at all

Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away

But I know I had the best day with you today

Henry. Storybrooke. Home. Zelena. Time Portal. Enchanted Forest.

Emma felt as though she had just woken up from the craziest dream, which in a sense, she had. “Wh-What happened?” She wraps her arms around her son and kisses his head, how did he end up here all alone?

“I’m not exactly sure. I woke up at the hospital and everyone was gone. I think Zelena’s time portal worked.” Henry explains

Emma nods her head at her son, trying to make sense of this situation. “It definitely worked. I grew up here and there’s no talk of a Dark Curse or an Evil Queen.”

Too many lives now existed within her head, the one where she grew up an orphan and then gave Henry away, and then a fake life where she and Henry made it on their own and now this time altering life where she grew up happy and a princess. Emma looks over at her brother, who in her original timeline had only just been born. “You were a baby.” She mumbles to herself. “This must be pretty crazy for you right now.”

Leo just shrugs, “I’ve learnt to expect the unexpected in this family. When a 14 year old boy that looks like you and knows way too much about our family and says he’s your son, I realised crazier things have happened.”

Her baby brother. When her parents told her she was having a baby brother she hated the idea. But then when he was born she adored him, she loved watching him grow up, she remembers watching him walk for the first time and the first words he spoke. She was a teenager exploring herself and navigating the life of a royal but when her baby brother toddled into her room when she was having lessons she couldn’t help the smile on her face. He began to irritate her as he got into childhood with his grabby hands on her dress and coming into her room uninvited and unannounced. But the past few years now he had grown into his teens he’d become her friend, she was there for him when he fell off his horse and they would talk for hours after the balls about how boring they were or how a certain duke or prince would fall over themselves to talk to her. He was real. Her little brother was real to her and the fact a life existed without him was strange.

“We need a plan. I’m assuming I’m the only person, aside from maybe Rumple and Zelena, who isn’t cursed. How do we un-curse everybody?” Emma asks in hope that Henry already had a full plan in action.

Biting his lip and avoiding his mother’s eye contact Henry tells her, “Well I thought you giving me True Love's Kiss again might work, but maybe we need something else. I thought we could go on an adventure just the two of us like old times. Find out more and see if we can find Zelena maybe. Tell her that we’re here to stop her.”

Emma’s heart soars, she realises how scary it must have been for Henry waking up all alone. “There is nothing I’d love more Henry, but in this life I’m the Princess not the Sheriff or the Saviour so I can’t just run off with you at the drop of a hat without raising suspicion.”

“I’ll cover for you.” Leo offers. “I’m used to covering for you. I’ll tell them you had an urgent wedding matter or something.”

Wedding. To Killian-Hook. Fuck.

“Yeah Mom, I was wondering about that.” Henry says with a huge smirk across his face. “In our timeline she pretends to hate him even though she enjoys his constant flirting-nice to see he wore her down here.” He says to Leo who looks happy and ready to converse about his sister's love life.

When he was awake she was going to murder him. There was no way the two of them meeting was accidental, of all the women to meet in a tavern, of all the balls to crash it was hers. She found it very hard to believe he gave up everything that easily, just a promise of her hand in marriage. He had to have been working with Zelena.

_____

Henry and Emma leave in a carriage just before day break, apparently Leo caught one of the guards in an uncompromising position and owed him a favour. The guard was more than happy to drive them north In the middle of the night no questions asked.

“The last anyone heard of the Dark One was when I was very young. Nobody has heard from him in a decade, apparently he was training an apprentice in the wastelands to the north was the last place anyone had heard from him. Considering that was years ago, I think it’s best to assume it’s Zelena.” Emma explains as they ride out of the gates of the castle.

“So we get as far north as we can, see if anyone knows anything or has heard anything.” Henry offers, “Grandpa will have strong magic that will block the entrance to wherever he and Zelena are hiding, like in Harry Potter where Muggles can’t see Hogwarts.”

Emma cringes at the grandpa's comment, her mind wants to erase her family’s complicated family tree. But, if a part of Gold still remembered who he was-well she would never use him as leverage-but the dark one would be more inclined to help or believe them. “We can’t go in the northern wastelands Henry, they’re wastelands.”

“Any chance you have a map of this place?” Henry asks and Emma laughs until she realises he’s serious.

“I’ve read stories about this place and now I get to experience it. I want to know everything about this place.” From the gleam in his eye, you’d think he was a kid at Disney World.

“I can’t believe you want a history lesson right now.” She smiles, she missed him, she didn’t realise how much she had missed him until now. How many times she would see something or overhear a story and know in the back of her mind there was someone who would appreciate it, even if she didn’t know who.

“I’ve listened to stories about this place for years, I’ve read every inch of that Storybook and now I’m here. I want to know everything.”

Emma ruffles her son's hair as she gives a brief history lesson. “There are 8 kingdoms, Misthaven which is our kingdom being the largest. There were 10 kingdoms a few hundred years ago but now they’re called the Wastelands as they abused their magic and they fall to the North of Misthaven, which is where Rumples castle is likely to be located.” She gives him a brief overview of the differences between the kingdoms and who their monarchs are until Henry eventually doses off.

Listing the features of the place she considered home jut confused her more.

She was Emma Swan. The saviour.

But she was also

Emma of Misthaven. A Princess .

Who was also due to be married to Captain Hook in a few short weeks. After they had been together, secretly and then not so secretly for almost 6 years.

She has no idea what Ki-Hook, did or said to Zelena as how else does she explain almost marrying him?

Before they were unwillingly dragged into her time portal, things with Hook were strange. They’d kissed in Neverland and Emma had wanted to do that again. As much as she hated to admit it, he understood her, when they were in Neverland she felt as though nobody knew how she felt but him and that scared her. He came back to save her in New York, he risked it all to save her when she didn’t even have her memories, nobody had ever gone to the lengths for her that he did. She was afraid, thats what it boiled down to. In this life she didn’t need to be afraid, her parents didn’t abandon her and her ex boyfriend didn’t leave her.

It suddenly makes sense though, why they felt drawn to one another. Though she was sure they had never met before, something in her gut told her she knew him.

He clearly knew her. Why else would Captain Hook be interested in a random princess he met in a tavern after escaping her dungeon? No way would the most fearsome pirate in all the land give up piracy for a woman?

Not that she cared. Those were false memories. She was cursed.

But then again, if Leo was real. And the love she felt and had with her parents was real.

No. She wouldn’t allow herself to think of his blue eyes and dark hair. Her hands roaming his chest under all that leather. How the taste of his lips feel. The way he makes her moan when he does that thing with his mouth.

She falls asleep thinking about his proposal. When he mentioned running away together and Emma leaving the kingdom she thought he was crazy. She couldn’t imagine actually running away and leaving everything behind. But she loved him. And love makes you do crazy things. So after a few days of going over and over in her head, she went back and told him she did want to run away with him, leave Misthaven. Show her parents that this was what she wanted, not to be a Queen married to someone she barely knows let alone loves, always having to hold her tongue, not allowed to have any real opinions if they don’t benefit the kingdom.

He got down on one knee that night on the deck of the Jolly Roger and asked her to marry him. It was a proposal and a promise. He proposed using his brother's ring, the one who died in Neverland. Emma didn’t understand the severity of what happened to his brother until now. She would listen to stories of Neverland and what an awful place it was, but Emma now knew just how horrible it was.

_______

Henry wakes up to the sounds of swords clashing outside his window. What was happening?

No. Not his window. The carriage window.

He opens his eyes and focuses on what’s going on outside the carriage window.

The guard who was driving them north was fighting with a man who had the hood of his cloak up so nobody could see his face and he had a quiver of arrows on his back and a sword with no sheath, indicating the arrows were his usual weapon and the sword was stolen.

Emma finally opens the door and kicks the hooded man to the ground. “Please. We have no money and no jewels. I’m just a mother who is travelling with her son.”

Their carriage driver runs off into the trees as the hooded man stands up and they get a look at his face.

“My apologies. I thought this was a royal carriage.” He extends his hand to Emma and she notices a lion tattoo on his arm. “The names Robin.”

“Robin Hood?” Henry asks, despite being cursed he remembers him, and the things he caught him doing with Regina.

Robin nods. “Robin of Sherwood, or some know me by Robin Hood yes. My apologies again.”

“Why were you trying to rob a royal carriage?” Emma asks, careful not to be too trusting considering she had no clue what role Robin played in this realm.

“I target royal carriages as they carry excessive jewels and money they don’t need. There are people in these villages who need their money and jewels far more than they do. My wife and I can barely afford to feed ourselves, but there are some families with young children and no money to buy clothes or toys.”

“Steal from the rich and give to the poor.” Henry whispers. Turns out Robin Hood from this reality was pretty similar to the one they met in Storybrooke.

“May I ask, if you’re not royal what are you doing? As I’ve robbed my fair share of royal carriages and yours is very similar.”

“My son and I have been sent by our Kingdom to seek out information on the Dark One. Or even better if someone knows anything about a witch named Zelena.” The whole reason for their mission was to find out if anyone knew something and who knows what Robin may know.

The mention of The Dark One makes anyone look uneasy, but at the mention of Zelena’s name he went deathly pale. “If you come with me, I know someone who may know exactly what you’re looking for.”

Emma and Henry look at one another relieved, they were getting somewhere. “Thank you.”

They follow Robin for a couple miles to his home. It’s pretty small, and in a large village of similar sized houses. It’s a shock for Henry, who was used to much grander houses in Storybrooke with running water and electricity. To Emma, it's not much of a shock considering she grew up in a house not too dissimilar to this in this reality for the first 9 years of her life.

“Are you there my love?” Robin calls out as they walk through the door.

“In the kitchen.” A woman’s voice calls back. A familiar voice.

They follow Robin into the only other room in the small hut to find a tall slim woman with dark hair with her back to them. Only Henry would recognise her anywhere.

“Regina my love.” Robin kisses her cheek softly. “I brought guests.”

Regina smiles sweetly. Which was scary. Emma had never seen the woman so humane. She squeezes Henry’s hand whose heart must be beating a million beats a minute. “Welcome, it’s always nice to have guests. What are your names?

“Thank you for inviting us Robin, you have a lovely home.” Panic mode, Emma hadn’t thought about names-they’d have to use aliases but what?

“My name is Harry, and this is my mother Leia.” Henry offers. Really kid-Harry Potter and Star Wars?

Henry gives her a look as if to say ‘what would you have said?’

“They have questions about the Dark One. And specifically his involvement with your sister.” Robin tells Regina.

Regina just nods. “Well you better sit down for dinner then.”

So she knew Zelena was her sister in this reality. Was Regina the one who was given up then?

Emma and Henry sit down and are served an Enchanted Forest delicacy that Henry hadn’t had the luck of trying yet. Lucky him. It’s not exactly roast beef or hamburgers from Grannys. ‘Lamb’ stew with vegetables and potatoes. Except Emma isn’t too sure it is lamb, but she had grown accustomed to the taste and the texture. They had been driving all day and were starving though so they had no choice.

Henry looks disgusted but tries his best to eat it. Especially as his other mother served it to him unknowing of her relationship to him. It didn’t feel right, seeing his mother look at him but not see him. But Henry couldn’t risk anything but seeing if she remembers any part of him at all. She was the only link to Zelena, and if Henry started talking nonsense about being her son she would kick them out.

“So what is it that my sister has done to you?” Regina asks as she sits at the table next to Robin, who was her husband in this reality. Not surprising in all honesty, even in her cursed state he could see something was going on with Robin.

“She cursed the people in our kingdom to forget who they are. We fear she has something larger at bay with the help of the Dark One.” Emma tells her as she tucks into the stew.

“I’m so sorry to hear that. I have heard rumours of the things she has done to people, but hearing it first hand is heartbreaking.”

“We didn’t know she had a sister.” Emma mentions, hoping to hear more about this reality and why Regina isn’t a raging murderous bitch.

“Not many know that she has a sister, and I can’t imagine she ever mentions me.” Regina says, and it’s freaking Emma out how kind and nice she’s being. She’s far from the Evil Queen in this reality. “My mother, Cora, she found herschelf unmarried and pregnant was taken pity on by a Princess from a northern kingdom, and sent her to my grandfather's kingdom in the west. She was able to work and gave birth to Zelena whilst being able to look after her at the same time. She met my father, the Prince of that kingdom and he fell in love with her, he would always make excuses to need his sheets washed just to see her for a few moments a day.” The way Regina talks about her mother is very different, almost fondly. “Anyway, my grandfather eventually found out about their affair and told her she could never marry his son, that’s when she told him she was able to spin straw into gold.”

Emma had a feeling where this story was going.

“That’s when she met The Dark One. He taught her everything and my parents were able to marry. I was born just over a year later. Zelena and I were so close growing up but when we were of age, the Dark One, he began to teach us magic. My sister was gifted and the prodigy my mother hoped she’d be. It took me longer to even conjure a fireball, so his attention quickly began to focus on my sister. After a few years of being left on the sideline, I ran away. Sick of magic, I didn’t need it and it was awful-my mother used magic on me as punishment when I was growing up, and I’d seen the awful things it had done-I didn’t want to be that person. After a while of hiding out in the woods I met Robin, and the rest is well, history.”

She seemed happier. And not just because of Robin. Regina didn’t have magic in this life, and she’d never become the Evil Queen. She’d found Robin and started a life with him, away from magic and away with any evil. Was it cruel to eventually wake her up from this?

“Do you know where she currently is?” Emma asks.

Regina shakes her head. “I pride myself on not knowing her whereabouts but I imagine it’s somewhere in the northern mountains.”

“Have you tried a True Love's Kiss?” Emma raises her eyebrow at Robin before he explains, “I’m not sure what sort of memory curse your kingdom is under, but I’ve heard that True Love's Kiss can break any curse.”

That’s right. True Love’s Kiss. Her parents were never under a sleeping curse in this reality. They never had to fight for their love. “You might be onto something. But I believe it’s the King and Queen your sister is targeting with her curse, and I can only assume they’ve kissed, how can we get them to break the curse?”

“Sleeping curse.” Henry mutters. “They would have to be under a sleeping curse, correct?”

Regina nods. “You're a very bright boy Harry. It sounds like to give your kingdom their memories back, you need a sleeping curse.”

“That requires magic though. And nobody in our kingdom possesses such a kind.” As a result of not being the saviour in this reality, it also meant Emma had no magic. “Regina, is there any way you could maybe lend us some? If you had it in the past, I’m sure you could find a way to-“

“With all due respect, why would I help you?” Regina days cutting her off. That’s more like the Regina they know. “I’m sorry about your kingdom, but I haven’t touched magic in a long time and I don’t want to tap back into that darkness for two people I just met. I think you should leave.”

Knowing not to argue with her, Emma politely agrees and lets Robin show them the way out.

“Before you go.” Robin whispers. “My wife doesn’t have magic, but she does know more about where the Dark One resides. He has a castle up in the northern mountains, it borders the wastelands, it’s about three days from here. Good luck with your mission.”

Three days? They were running on a limited time schedule as it was. Three days there, and then the journey back?

“Got any bright ideas kid? Other than screaming Bloody Mary into a mirror 3 times?” She asks as a joke, except Henry’s eyes light up. “No. No. We are not doing that.”

“How else do you expect us to get information? We have to summon him.” Henry had met Mr. Gold, the pawnshop owner of Storybrooke who also happened to be his grandfather. Though Emma herself hadn’t met the Dark One in this reality, she had heard stories of the things he did to people and his ways of torturing. Hell she had learnt through Hook what he did to his ex wife. She didn’t know how it was going to turn out, she had to keep Henry safe.

“How do we even get him? We don’t exactly have his dagger? Dark one I summon thee? Would that even work?”

Mother and son hear a giggle behind them and look at one another before slowly turning their heads behind them to see Rumplestilskin. In all his crocodile skin glory.

“Dark One.” Emma breathes, a mixture of fear and amazement in her voice.

“The very one dearie.” He grins playfully. “What can I do for you, witch?”

Emma debates in her head what to say, how do you say you want a sleeping curse? And no way he'd give it to them.

“We need magic to save our kingdom.” Henry pipes up, eagerness getting the better of him.

“What does a Princess need with magic?” The Dark One asks, causing Emma to raise her eyebrow at him. “Oh yes I know who you are, Princess Emma of Misthaven. But I don’t know you.” He wiggles his finger at Henry, this version was a lot more theatrical than the one they knew in storybrooke.

Henry looks at his grandfather, with his scaly skin and his cane nowhere in sight. This wasn’t his grandfather, this was The Dark One who made deals and tortured people. His breath hitches he can barely speak, “I’m nobody. Just someone who needs magic to help bring my family back.”

“People in my kingdom have been cursed and they have lost their memories. I need magic to help bring their memories back.” Emma explains, hoping somewhere deep inside that Rumplestiltskin isn't the victim of this curse too.

Rumple prowls around the two, as if sizing them up or as if he was trying to read their minds. “And what manner of magic are we talking about here? You seem very confident that magic will solve this little problem. And why come to me at all? I’m sure Misthaven has someone who could give you a potion or an elixir.”

Struggling to keep her eyes on the Dark One as he keeps moving around, Emma decides on her lie. “My kingdom is scared of magic, most of them don’t trust it which is why it was easy for a witch to take their memories. I studied magic in secret, I don’t have any physical powers but I learnt the study of sorcery and magic from books in my library. I know that any curse can be broken with True Love’s Kiss, which is why I need a sleeping curse so that the curse can be broken. I’ve heard rumours you dabble with sleeping curses.”

Rumple fixates on Emma for a second, almost expecting her to break, but she remains strong. “And you have a victim in mind for this sleeping curse?”

Emma nods. “Yes. They may not have had any magic confirmation but I believe they are the epitome of True Love and a kiss will break the curse and bring back their memories.”

“And why aren’t you still a victim to this curse?”

Shit. She hadn’t thought about that. “I honestly cannot tell you for sure why. But I believe I regained my memories for a reason, I think it’s my fate to save my kingdom.” While she wasn’t the saviour in this realm, she was still the saviour of Storybrooke and she had to bring them home.

Emma isn’t sure if it’s a smile, a grin or a smirk that crosses his face when she mentions saving her kingdom, but Rumple was willing to help. “Very well dearie.” And with a wave of his hand an Apple suddenly appears in Emma’s hand.

“An Apple?” Emma’s eyebrows raise at Rumple, he had to know, even if he wasn’t showing it. This is too much of a coincidence.

“Most common form of a sleeping curse, other than a spinning needle. Just give this to your unsuspecting victim and they will fall into a deep slumber until their true love wakes them up.” There was a gleam in his eyes that made Emma think he knew, he must know.

“Thank you.” She says before he disappears in the blink of an eye.

“He knows.” Henry states as Emma just stands there going over what just happened.

“You think?” Emma couldn’t be sure, there were too many coincidences, but then again what was his plan if he was helping Zelena?

“He willingly gave us an apple for a sleeping curse with almost no questions asked. I think grandpa is still in there.” Henry was positive, he had to be. He’d made it to the Enchanted Forest by himself to save his family, and now he has to believe his grandpa knew who he was and that was why he was willing to help.

___

“So what is the plan now that we have the apple?” Henry asks his mother once they’re back in their carriage on the way back to the kingdom. Henry was on top of it, he always needed a plan.

“Well, I’m getting Gregory to drop you off just before the gates so we don’t raise suspicions and Leo will meet you in the stables, he’ll disguise you as one of his servants and then we can figure out how to get her to eat the apple.”

“Grandpa needs to be away!” Henry blurts out as if a lightbulb just went off in his head. “In the original timeline, Gramps had to find her before he could wake her up. What if that needs to happen again this time?”

“You’re right.” Emma says as she opens up the storybook to the right page, seeing the quest her father went on before-trapped by Regina and then slaying Maleficent. “Well we don’t have an evil queen to trap him, but he does have a trip coming up. We can poison Snow send word to dad, that way he’s going on a journey to come and save her. We can call it Operation Scorpion?

Henry just laughs at his mother’s suggestion.

“No? Okay how about Operation Python?” She suggests, smiling at Henry’s unenthusiastic face.

[kihakugato-art]

The Harriet Pinup Art Project

Session 0- goals and preparation

Out of the sessions this one will probably be the wordiest- my apologies that I can't break it apart with more images! Hopefully the future sessions will have more show and less tell.

Goal for this project-

To make a good enough quality artpiece that it could be printed as a poster or print. I won’t end up making it an actual print since it entails some considerations I’d rather not mess with, but I’d like to at least push my art to that quality. This is my loftiest of my goals but a goal nonetheless.

To finish this piece within the month of September. It’d be nice to get it done sooner, and its equally possible that I may end up finishing it later than that, but I want to take my time with this piece for longer than I normally would for an art piece. I rarely work on my pieces for longer than a week on average.

What is the planned setting/composition for the pinup?

A candid of Harriet sitting on the edge of the deck of her ship (or off of a dock) all chill albeit possibly mischievous. She will likely be holding/eating a grilled fish on a skewer, giving lowkey implication that she snatched/stole it out from the ship’s kitchen/BBQ before mealtime.

The outfit will preferably have shorts/daisy dukes, a top of some sorts, draconian features out (so her lil penguin wings and her long flippered tail, maybe also feathered webbed hands/feet) in her human form for added interest, with a shirtless/tits-out as an additional outfit variant (I hope to come out of this project with at least 2 different versions- a sfw and more nsfw version). Her happy trail must be in view as well as her chest to add to the pinup-ness.

I may also give a canon-compliant colour pallete (so the teal/red/white) for her outfit as well as a non-compliant variant (the colour those clothes would be normally in the real world) depending on how well the colours compliment her.

Inspiration-

Of all things, the one that finally motivated me to think of taking a crack at it, it was the Brazillian Miku art trend. Created by ErinArtista (artpiece link X).

Tanned skin, teal hair, tomboyish energy, the parallels to Harriet are very similar which made it hard not to think about her when seeing the trend spread in full force.

The version that really got me thinking of Harriet in such an outfit was by irreligiositat (artpiece link X) which gave the interpretation of Miku having a big teal happy trail. Being Harriet has a blue-green happy trail herself, it caused the final mental click.

[image source]

Before this I had previously thought about drawing Harriet in “sexy” outfits- especially Mordred’s shorts/coat outfit (no surprise since I credit Mordred for being some of the inspiration for Harriet).

Although other OCs in a pinup artpiece have crossed my mind before, Harriet has always been the easiest to imagine; she canonically sometimes straight-up walks around shirtless or nude out on the deck of her own ship simply cause she’s the carefree type to do so! No other OC of mine is that bold (barring some WIP NSFW OCs that are still baking in the brain oven).

As I’ve been feeling more comfortable/bolder I have grown more motivated to explore this kind of art.

Preparations

Inspiration/reference board/folder

Collect images to assist in compiling/understanding the art being created. I don’t do this too often unless I’m very uncertain about certain details for the art piece. Also being I don’t draw often enough the references help give some guidelines for the brain to follow.

[yes I am well aware of how sus the third folder looks- don't make me bonk you for the obvious]

While the number of folders/images may grow as this project progresses, I am currently starting with 4 folders with 49 different images total; A folder for backgrounds, cooked/skewered fish, outfits (particularly daisy dukes- cause I had some confusion on certain art depictions of them that I had to get clarified on), and various sitting poses that come close to what I’m after. Also Harriet’s reference sheet so we can keep more inline with the iconography of her design (and also help when we get to including her draconic features since I’m not used to drawing a transitional form).

Canvas preparation and tutorials

I’m starting this on Clip Studio Paint with A4 paper dimensions (albiet with a stupidly large canvas size to avoid accidentally drawing too small) with 300 resolution.

For tutorials I am currently starting with only one- how to use 3D models in CSP, since I have never used this feature before, and I feel this could be extremely helpful on quickly getting an idea of what will look best for this composition.

Pretty cut and dry overview, even if it’s a lot of new information to take in. In the future I may use the fancier features of it such as making specific body types (meaning I have help with grasping Demauria and Riivar’s absurd height differences) but for this project we will start/stick to the default body even though it’s not quite accurate

With the new information I imported a female 3D model from the materials section, and selected one of the sitting presets to get started with.

I also imported the top poses from my inspo board onto the canvas so that I can quickly reference from them while working on messing with the 3D model.

Depending on how well I can mess with the poses I may even do more than one 3D’d pose so that I can compare/contrast which I’d prefer for this piece.

[blowflyfag]

Stevie Richards x Male Reader

 I got silly and wrote this. I would suggest listening to  Fly by Veruca Salt, as well as Twinstar and Sleeping where I want. They're all by Veruca Salt. I just wanted to write a little vibey fic so I hope you like it :)

TW for this fic include : Implied Drug use, Alcohol Consumption, very brief mention of vomit as well as frequent injury mention 

Stevie had that dog kind of love. Unwavering no matter what. Happy to just simply be acknowledged and be in the presence of someone he liked. You were half worried about whatever happened possibly to get him to act like this. But in another way… you were selfish and wanted to drown yourself in that unwavering love. That’s how you found yourself now. Cramped in the back of your van clung to the man as you kept your face buried in his shoulder.

 The match you had tonight had been brutal. Your shoulder had been cut pretty gnarly off of some barbed wire.. you agreed to the match of course. You were a sick thrill junkie. A piece of shit who loved the cheering crowd and damnit you’d do anything to please their sadomasochistic desire. They wanted blood. And you’d bleed for them. 

Though it had been patched up hours earlier by the barely trained medical staff, you wanted to just rush out of the stadium so you could come down in your own space. Your pride and joy. Your van. You didn’t believe in flying or owning your own place. Your van had everything you needed. Besides there were enough rest stops and truck stops for you to stay clean enough. It wasn’t like you were getting laid often… so after a quick vomit from the pain in the bathroom you staggered outside to your little vehicle heaven. You stopped. Staring at the lanky form leaning against it. A toothy smile shot towards you. 

“Hey (y/n)!”You felt dread rise up your spine. Looking around quickly to make sure no one in that damn flock was around. There wasn’t a camera crew ready to catch you getting a trash can smashed over your head. “Just me dude.” He snickered as he pushed himself off of your van. Patting it. “I guessed this one was yours! Pretty lucky guess huh?” He began and you looked around once more before humming in acknowledgement.

“What gave it away huh?” You asked as you pulled out a pack of cigarettes from your pocket. Almost on instinct Stevie pulled out a lighter from his. “Daisy Dukes.” That’s what you’d joke with others and call those ugly shorts. You smiled as you leaned close to catch the flicking light.

“Well. Looking through the window and seeing the bed in there I kinda assumed. Unless this is just some hobo’s van.” 

“Nah. It’s my hobo van.” You said as you opened the back doors to climb in. Flickering on a power outlet that caused lights to flicker to life that had Stevie looking over in awe. A lava lamp slowly began to bubble and Christmas lights shined on the ceiling. 

“Oh woah! Didn’t know you could get that all hooked up!” He said as he quickly crawled in after you. Your eyes widening at the sudden new person in your home. Your van was decked for your tastes. Stuck to the walls were a myriad of polaroids of old friends, odd things you had seen, clouds of weed smoke being blown by pretty girls. A few band posters were stuck as well. Some clothes were haphazardly thrown around the floor. You quickly moved to kick a pair of briefs to the side. What seperated the driving console from the back you made your room was a curtain of beads that clacked together with every small bump into them. Stevie looked around, finding the bed and placing himself down on it with a smile. “Nice digs man!” You nodded as you grabbed a nearby ashtray to flick some of the cigarette ash into it. 

“I try.” You offered before slumping down onto a small beanbag chair that was near the back doors, you reached with your good arm to close the two before looking to Stevie who was already looking over your polaroids and flicking through your cd case. “So.” You started again after a bit of silence, filling only with the small crackling fire as you inhaled cigarette smoke. “Raven going to come by and kick my shit in or something?” You asked with a brow raise and Stevie looked over. 

“Huh? No no! I just wanted to see you man you got fucked up tonight… How's your shoulder?” You were a bit confused.. you half expected the flock to take advantage of your weak state.. I mean. You had no issues with them. At least you thought you didn’t. But that Raven guy made your stomach churn and you knew he wasn’t someone to be messed with. 

“Fucking hurts like shit.” You admitted as you set the cigarette down in the ashtray. Adding the butts of old half smoked cigarettes and a joint that still had at least one decent hit left for it. “You wanna see?” You asked and Stevie gave a quick nod. That was often at ECW. Admiring an ogling at wounds revived during the match. As you slipped off your jacket and shirt you heard Stevie hiss. 

“Jesus dude….”

“Yeah. 6 stitches.” You said before sighing as you walked over to a cooler stuffed into the corner. “Want a drink?” You offered. Stevie held his hands out as you tossed a can of cheap beer towards him before you grabbed your own and plopped yourself back down next to him. You both cracked the cans in unison, you looked over to Stevie with a fond smile as you held your can towards his. A small clink that caused a bit of foam to seep over the top before you took a long swig before setting it down on the floor as you leaned back against the wall. Hissing as your shoulder laid against the wall. 

“Shit dude.. maybe you should like. Lay on your stomach or something.” 

“Don’t wanna take up all the bed man. That just makes me a bad host don’t you think?” 

Stevie rolled his eyes as he set his own beer down. “Just lay down dude.” He got up and you huffed. Rolling your eyes as you shifted to just lay on your stomach instead. Admittedly it felt better. You reached to hold a pillow close to your face and Stevie smiled as he moved to lay next to you… luckily enough the bed was big enough for the two of you. You looked over to meet his gaze.

 “We’re just gonna lay here. Next to each other in silence?”

“Yeah? What’s wrong with that man?”

“Little gay don’t you think?”

Stevie rolled his eyes again, “You think too much you know that?” He said as he pushed past the curtain of beads. You quirked your brow as you heard shuffling before music slowly lulled into the van. You had left a Veruca Salt CD in the player.  American Thighs lulling you into a calmness with the track Fly. Or it could be the beer bubbling inside your stomach, or the general exhaustion from the whole night. You looked to the curtain of beads as they clacked with Stevie coming through them again. “That better?” He asked as he went to lay back down. 

“Much better.” You snickered as you held your hand out expectantly towards him. He handed you the can as you took another large gulp of it before handing it back. Enjoying the small brush of fingertips overlapping for only a moment. You looked over to Stevie who was simply looking over your Polaroids again.

“You’ve done a lot huh?” He asked and you shrugged. 

“I’ve just been a bunch of different places, you know? This wrestling shit is just something else for me to do.. besides it gives me an excuse to travel more.” You smiled to Stevie. “You should ride with me sometime. It’s fun. I promise. We might just have to share the bed.” You snickered and Stevie smiled back. That toothy smile that had your heart doing a double take almost. 

“Aren’t we already doing that?”

“I guess we are…”

One can in and you were getting restless laying on your stomach. It didn’t feel right anymore. Felt all wrong and sitting up felt worse. You sighed as you slowly pushed yourself up. “Hey hey hey. Take it easy man! Jeez you’re gonna rip your stitching like that.” He said as he sat up as well as he looked over the tired look on your face. “Jeez man…” he began and you huffed. 

“It’s late Stevie… you should get outta here or something.” You began and Stevie shook his head. 

“No way man! What if you rip your stitches in your sleep or somethin. I’m staying the night at least!” He proclaimed and you raised a brow.. was this whole thing some ploy from him to get him to stay the night..? I mean could you blame him? Your van was cooler than any damn motel room could ever be. “What’s the issue huh..? Do you not usually sleep on your stomach?”

You shook your head. Most nights your back would be pressed right up against the wall. But of course with your shoulder that wasn’t happening anytime soon. Stevie seemed to ponder for a minute before smiling as he laid down and held his arms open. “Cmon dude. We’re bros no shame in it.” He said and you quirked a brow. 

“You’re gonna fucking cuddle me?”

“No! No! Just. Lay on me dude. It’ll be more comfortable.” He said with an eye roll.

You hesitated before you shifted back to laying on your stomach. However in an odd way. Stevie’s body close to yours added a new level of comfort that had you melding under the touch in a way. Stevie snickered as he saw the relaxed expression on your face. “See. Fucking told you dude.” 

“Just shut up Richards…” you began, hearing him giggle after you spoke.. you wouldn’t admit it now. Maybe you’d never admit it. But it was the best sleep you had that night. The best sleep in a while you had. The best sleep of your life had been with 6 stitches in your shoulder, music slowly playing from your radio, and yourself held close to Stevie Richards, your face buried into the nape of his neck.

[actuallylorelaigilmore]

2023 Movie Journey #3: Elvis

elvis. i watched this with @actuallylukedanes​, which is the only reason it landed so early in my viewing this year. it was on my list but not a high priority at all: obviously i love tom hanks but i knew he wasn’t playing his lovable usual here, and i really have no feelings towards elvis either way. i barely grew up aware of who he was, my exposure to him was entirely secondhand through an episode of designing women and a john waters movie that i imprinted on like a baby duck when i was way too young to be watching a john waters movie (and which i can never enjoy again cuz now Some Things ruin my childhood retroactively).

so honestly, the only reason this movie went on my list is because i read a long profile about it that was really about baz luhrmann, and because moulin rouge was like a gift he gave just to me that lasts forever, i’ll give anything he makes a chance. once i was reconsidering my disinterest in the subject matter, the plan to watch it with leander sealed the deal. 

putting it behind a cut even though i have less to say about it than some other movies, because it really...wasn’t good, exactly. i wouldn’t say it was bad, either, but it was structured really similarly to every other biopic, which surprised me. the visuals were baz luhrmann all the way, but other than deciding to make this a story of ‘elvis through the lens of the complicated figure whose presence both made him and doomed him’ (as opposed to just centering the story on freaking elvis, whose name is on the poster!) his life and career story is told almost identically to how they framed the whitney houston biopic i saw. start near the end, then take us back to the origin story, and eventually make it back to where you started after showing how we got there. then conclude with a tragic death (offscreen).

so i mean, the performances were good. i can give the movie full credit for that. austin butler did a good job and is very talented. tom hanks (who i already knew is talented, obviously) really fills up his character so that even though he’s a truly cruel and masterful huckster, there’s still a chance that he might believe his own lies in the end. i didn’t recognize elvis’s father as being played by the duke from moulin rouge but leander did right away, so they get all the points. :) and billy from stranger things was there! wearing eyeliner! he is very pretty in eyeliner and i highly preferred his styling in this to stranger things.

but underneath all the glitz and the big performances, i guess to me the movie just felt so shallow. watching it didn’t make me feel more interested in elvis, though it did make me like austin butler more...and i have to wonder if some of that is because for all its big visuals, this movie didn’t go as big on emotions. 

it is so invested in the character tom hanks plays, but he’s a canny operator with few sincere feelings we can connect to. a lot of elvis’s emotions are all about his love of performing, so we get establishments of his marriage and family but quickly speed past those things to his affairs and eventual divorce. when he loses his mother and when his marriage ends, he’s given about a minute onscreen to mourn each before it’s quite literally back on with the show, prodded forward by gambling-addicted tom hanks.

and so instead of being a movie that explores elvis, exactly, this is a movie where we watch elvis be so often a passive actor in his own life. a young man naively trusting a greedy influence, a lonely man accepting affection from strangers despite its effect on his family, an addicted man taking whatever drugs he’s given to keep moving. it was hard to feel connected to the main character when he was being constantly taken advantage of or only seemed happy onstage and was, in this telling, a star who kept doing whatever he was told no matter how much it hurt. (his very brief rebellious phase before they sent him to basic training was my favorite part of the film. that had some power.)

i can’t help comparing this movie to the whitney houston one because there was such life and joy in that, which gave its sad ending all the more impact. i knew to expect a similar depressing ending for elvis, and yet, this movie held his death at a distance, repeating the framing of tom hanks narrating about elvis in the end. i was glad that the whitney biopic didn’t show her death, and didn’t need to see his--but we could have seen his family and friends reacting, or some moment of him in private, rather than the last shot we got which was literally physically distanced, too. 

using colonel parker they way they did gave tom hanks a lot to do, but it felt like a concept the filmmakers were too excited about as a ‘twist’ to realize that it sapped what makes a biopic great: the force of the star at its center. if they elevated tom hank’s role because they were worried about fully giving austin butler the stage, i don’t think they needed to be. he was a good choice, and i just wish they had trusted him to do more. then maybe i could’ve seen the movie i expected this to be, in which baz luhrmann told me the story of elvis--rather than one where tom hanks did so while defending his villainous actions as he got the last word.

(though technically elvis got the last word in a delightfully predictable post-credits moment and i do give them--ahem--credit for that. and leander more points, for playing that part on purpose.)

in conclusion, not my favorite viewing experience for a lot of different reasons, but i’m still glad i saw it. because austin butler was fun, and, well, baz luhrmann. the man makes the shiniest glittery movies, and i love them so much for existing even when i don’t love them at all.

[stoptellinglieslois]

Love fair

Clark Kent x Richard Grayson

Act 1

As I got up from my slumber I heard the familiar male voice again warm gentle in my mind talking, My mind is still jumbled as memories swarm into my consciousness. As I am being pulled once again into the past.

Walking the market place in town with my family as a prince made things awkward for me as I am usually in disguise wearing peasant clothing. "Come my lord this way." Alfred said as he pulled me away from some merchants and that's when I saw his stand, I froze in place and turned quickly around and started walking in the opposite direction from his stand.

I headed towards the tavern as posters of the jousting tourney this afternoon were splashed across the land, I needed to breath as I walked in the tavern it smelled of strong wine and meal being prepared.

The whole tavern kneel as soon I entered this didn't help as my nerves are being shot, I saw him but this is madness he do's not know who I am nor do's he know that I am his admire he knows nothing of me being royalty.

I was being silly with that thought I grew more confident I found a table as the bar keeper placed food in front of me and wine. Alfred found me and so did my brothers as I watch them coming closer.

I smiled at them as they entered not knowing what to do next as my space has been invaded, I ate and drank what was given to me the beef soup was filling and with the bread it tasted good. "How could you eat here." Jason said as I put him in his place. "These are our people." And it was the end of the discussion I didn't want to talk wrongfully to anyone that could hear us I didn't want anyone feeling like we were passing judgement here.

That's when the fisherman walked in and sat at the table in front of me, I watched in aw as he wore the clothes a few weeks ago that I gifted him, I gaze at him picking him a part I knew this was as close I would get to him as myself.

He was quite man but I always knew that him living by himself, I was being pulled again by him everything else started to fade watching him order food. "Food and drinks on me." I shouted the whole room roared and that got his attention are eyes met for the first time well for him I've been watching him since I was a child.

His dark brown eyes got nervous as I held his gaze for a short moment, And then he looked to the ground I was crushed as he looked away from me I wanted more but I couldn't do that it was not good for me or for him to push anything.

As music played and the peasants are getting more and more animated because of the tourney and perhaps getting more and more drunk I declared to leave as I walked out my brothers followed me out the tavern before I left and went out the door I gave him one last look.

Later on in the tourney I sat there watching men being destroyed as I sat my eyes for no reason skimmed the crowd as I can't believe I spotted him again. I decided that I wanted to participate as well I got up off my seat and left towards the tents where all the lords dukes are preparing for their turn at being dismantled.

"Suit me up." As I exclaimed and I was hurried to be suited.

"Why are you doing this." Jason asked me his face puzzle. "I want to get the attention of the ladies." Jason snorted at me as I was ready and in my armor I was helped on my horse and galloped off it was quick and Lord Oliver won I got up with no damages on me.

The crowd cheered my ego bruised a little I hoped he saw me I took off my helmet my hair going falling past my shoulders, I smiled at the crowd and waved I found him watching me his reaction wasn't like the crowd neutral and passive I wanted to run towards him and tell him I wore this terrible heavy clunky armor for him so I could get his attention.

But instead I walked off and I paused for a bit as I directed my wave towards him, I walked off and to the tent to take off my armor I was spellbound by this man I kept him in a draw and when no one is looking I pull him out and to watch him.

The feast went on that night and that's when I struck again gathering food sometimes herbs and balms wine water soup and sweets I observed he has a sweet tooth, Well tonight was no exception I would ride out into the evening I doubt he was home and I did what I always did and let myself in his home.

I put the food on the table and looked at my hand a big ruby ring was on my index finger I stared at it and took it off and rested it on the table, Beside the food and the herbs It was cold in here he needed to gather wood for a fire I could provide him that some other time.

I looked around his place and snooped around a little but I knew I had to sneak off into the forest. I left him a scribbling note. "I love you." on his bed and left the fisherman's home. I didn't go far watching by the window as he made it home.

I wanted him to read the note but he couldn't read in less I left him a book it would be for children but it was a good start some of those books have illustrations on them. It was a start he picked up the ring I left on the table and he looked at the ring studying it.

I left him and walked off into town I got closer I made it through some alley ways and put my expensive clothes back on and put my peasant ones in a sac. and went in my quarters as I sat on my bed hearing noise and music outside a loud knock at my door. "Enter." Timothy came in my quarters. "Father wants to speak to us there is a big counsel meeting." I got up and walked out my gut feeling was telling me it is about Raz a gul.

I reached the chamber and found all the dukes and knights who came for the festivity now all seated here but where was my grandfather ?

I came in and sat down things were never solved in these meetings. "I've been dealing with this man who's been my rival for many years now, I need a better idea." My father exclaimed in frustration hitting the hard wood table with his fist.

"You are dealing with a king and I do believe for the worst part a wizard and an evil one at that." Prince Hal explained to my father he wanted to leave this meeting I could tell before I got here it was going in circles only a select few would be chosen to be here people who my father can trust.

"I can't believe I let my father deal with him my father is a king but an ignorant king." Agreed.

"I am afraid he will attack us he's a vindictive man." My father said arms crossed and in deep thought. "I beg you pardoned my lords your grace did this really happen with the Persian princess." lord Barry asked suspecting the worse out of this outcome.

My father looked at lord Barry and in his silence everything was revealed my father committed a sin I believe it's the both of them that did wrong here but that was neither here nor there.

I got pulled out of my memory and I got thrust back into the present as I am still in the crypt, I spirited smaller animals to the crypt to regain my force and strength so that I could be my former self I blame the vampire hunter who did this to me a few decades back laced the spire at my side with poison that kept me in this state.

Every time I drink blood I get stronger and stronger my mind gets more and more powerful, I slowly regain what was lost as I build myself up again a sudden voice cross my mind and it was the same warm male voice.

It seemed like there was a debate where young voices are arguing about Tristan and a person called Isolde. I could see what he's seeing and as the children argued he was reading a passage in the book.

I switched the words around in his mind and spelled some words to see if he understood my meaning. { Hello I' am Richard.} I did an illusion of mind It startled him as he threw the book on the floor and stomped on it making the children laugh I heard a loud bell that rang loud and everyone scattered out the door.

Still breathing loudly holding his chest I used telepathy to talk to him. {I am sorry I scared you.} I said in his mind. "Holy jeeze." He responded no one was in the room if he talked to himself no one would question it either.

{I will see you soon.} Is all I could truly muster from the link I have with him my mind starts to drift back into its state of stillness and darkness.

End of act 1 on to act 2

Thank you for reading

[freedformwriter]

Diary of a Baggage Train: Day 2

The mood today is Kate Bush’s stellar 1985 track “Under The Ivy”. I start the day feeling a bit ruined and grey; how perfect that today’s big itinerary item is a ruined castle. Not one of those well-preserved ruins that populate the English Heritage days out. The ones with interpretive signs so that visitors squint and say, yes, I suppose I do see how these few rocks were once a citadel capable of withstanding the Vikings, Normans, or Yorkists. Those are ruins in custody and the authorities allow them, like respectable pensioners, to deteriorate only very slowly. If Drummond Castle were a person, they would be an extravagant society darling whose charming antics became ‘too much’ quite soon. Abandoned by their peers, the rot set in ferociously and their ruin was virtually overnight. From the outside it appears like a Sleeping Beauty castle with the four cylindrical turrets, the cloak of ivy, and the barbed wire perimeter. But, once breached, the bones of a Victorian mediaevalist fancy are obvious. Many of the walls soar up to the treetops, revealing the decadent lines of high ceilings, large picture windows, decorative fireplaces, and the cutoff ends of pipes I imagine once carried hot water to a dozen clawfoot bathtubs.

I’m not alone when I burrow past the Keep Out sign. The tourists are primarily continental, Dutch and German couples who arrive in their left-hand drive vans and a pack of French holidaymakers who make an enormous production of parking their rental fleet in the adjacent field. They are killing my magical commune with the past. Yet when they take their photos and clear off, I’m uneasy. I suddenly fear disorientation. Or absorption. Maybe there is a point to floor plans. I roll my feet softly forward as if one stomp might dislodge the keystone of the whole place. Architectural details take on a dangerous cast: the elegant swoop of stairs that ascends with no support, a dark cavernous hall where the brick roof clings on, a spot where the reclaimed forest floor gives way to the gaping hole down to the cellar level. The crows seem to know just how to time their caws for maximum eery effect.

The tragedy of Drummond Castle is actually distinctly un-gothic. I remind myself of this morning’s reading. After the war, the aristocratic owners removed the roof to void paying tax. Whether the villain of the piece is the hubristic landed class or the Atlee government will depend on who’s telling the tale. According to a woman who helps out at our Drymen B&B, the root cause of the rot was a fallout between the Duke of Montrose and his half brother. The Duke, she declares, is from here and can be seen from time to time in the village. The half brother was never seen in these parts. It’s unclear which brother stripped the shingles, but local loyalties are clear. By the 19th century, the Duke of Montrose owned 100,000 acres of this area, and all the inhabitants were ‘dependent upon the vast influence and affluence’ of the estate. I read this in Drymen’s Millenium Account, a local history compendium awkwardly if inevitably introduced by the current Duke of Montrose. The vast emptying of the Highlands prior to the Victorian era was, he declares, necessary in order to make agricultural improvements and halt the menace of famine. The librarian who gave me the guide apologised she couldn’t provide me with more selection, but she’d packed up the books. Moving? No, just closing. The small space was papered with posters promoting breastfeeding friendly spaces and offering to help families with benefit claims. Three older residents had just come in with cakes for some sort of coffee hour.

At the castle, I fight down the spooked feeling. Obviously, nothing could be more authentically gothic than a heroine fleeing the building fuelled by nothing but her own vague but profound sense of terror, but panic attacks suck. I want to reclaim my initial delight in discovering this out-of-time space. Though the inside and the outside of Castle Drummond merged through the fierce young forest, I find a spot beyond the bounds of the ruins. I lie down on the moss and channel my inner Kate. The ruins don’t send me dream of ghostly shooting parties, with their tailormade tweeds and changes for dinner and long, enervated days spent looking out the window into the wall of rain rolling off the sea. The earth doesn’t echo with the unceasing local labour that built and maintained this palace for the imported aristocratic friends of the Montrose family. Looking up at the new leaves and the old ivy, I sense stillness. And birds, so many birds. The crows, yes, but also a host of lighter notes signalling the same thing: home. Ruined for whom? All at once, I’m happy this place hasn’t survived to be one more tastefully updated hotel with a wet-weather wedding marquee and antiquated plumbing to plague the new owners.

The green on the grey, I feel it all around me.

[mattved]

Gaming

The longer story of how important the role of gaming has been in my life, coping with struggle, and my progression from an awkward kid to a respected professional.

Things have been kinda exhausting lately. I'm alive and glad and happy to have finally found a functioning relationship with actual potential on the one hand. On the other, my sister is going through difficult time facing emotional instability and combating matters of the past that started getting back on her, which we try to solve by family therapy that might or might not help. Quarantine hampered daily schedules of most of us, and personally, I haven't really returned to the standard full-time student/employee schedule ever since the first surgery year and a half ago. Until now.

Well, it is never that simple, is it\?! Alarm clock at 7:47, shower if I force myself out of bet before 8am, sleepy walk to the bus stop 300 meters away. 40 minutes of struggling for oxygen through the obligatory face mask while on the way to work. Asthma attacks are also a thing, some mornings.

Once at work, I have coffee, sometimes one, sometimes four. I try to be nice to my colleagues but spend most time fixing data sync issues on the currently deficient BI platform, quietly complaining and getting cranky over it. That might change. Or not.

At around 5:30, I pack my stuff and march back to the subway, feeling sorry for the planet, the things we make and abuse, the people who are poor, the people living in hunger, and the sun, because all of these are temporary.

Playing Sudoku on the way makes things a little better. A thing to focus on, historical timing statistics providing positive feedback loop with progressive improvement. But then, it is a bit too hot on the bus and I just can't focus enough, so I just flick through some memes and news articles feeling dizzy.

Once home, I start eating whatever I find, because eating out is just uneconomical and breakfast is out of question after my nightly sleepeating journeys to the kitchen. I have a chat with other family members when they are present, sometimes pour myself creamy liqueur over cube of ice, and climb upstairs.

And there it begins. Me time. Massive office desk, four screens, RGB lighting, ambient atmosphere, air conditioning, scented candle, posters on the wall, king-size bed, and nothing else. Sometimes I use it to call my girl for a bit, sometimes I just browse the web. But most of the time, I just sit down, put my headphones on, grab the mouse or X-Box controller, and play.

With or without a partner, online or offline, grinding or living the story, gaming has always helped me take my mind off things and use my brain in a world that I was actually able to influence. Gaming gave me opportunities to not only learn factual information but also understand the process of improving at something, read between the lines, know when to make a decision and when to just follow through, listen to others while forming a strategy, listen to some great music, and most of all, see and evaluate trade-offs.

Like most of members of the community who are my age, I started with handheld Tetris. (Yes, the one in the picture.) Then, there was doom when I was staying home alone as a kid, Duke Nukem 3D and one fantasy platformer I don't remember the name of, when an older kid from the neighbourhood (it was supposed to be his mother, really,) was babysitting me. When my oldest sister, there was Blood 2. Jazz Jackrabbit, StarCraft and Operation Flashpoint came around when I was failing to blend in at a new school.

At the time things were okay, in spite of the ridicule from my classmates, I had the first two of the EA Harry Potter series, Ford Racing 2 (which I got from a box of cereal) and things like Soldat. Entering grammar school, before it all started tilting hard, ice hockey and NHL 07 (my first modding experience,) RTL Winter Sports, and Diamond mine helped me make two real friends, while World of Warcraft enabled me to stay in touch with others and improve my english. Sims 2 came out when I needed it the most but they didn't stay for long.

In the darkest times, Trackmania Nations Forever helped me build virtual relationships and the illegal copy of GTA San Andreas a friend of mine brought over let me stay sane. Then there were the parties of Counter Strike (which I sucked at) at the boarding school helped me keep in touch with people in spite of not actually being liked.

My first own laptop and the desire to game on it helped me make another friend, whom I acknowledge too little nowadays, but who helped me a lot in transition into the society. We played everything we were able to get our hands on that the AMD Turion x64 with Radeon HD3200 were able to pull off. Need for Speed Underground 2 all the new 3D platformers were the thing then.

With my first dedicated graphics card laptop, I spent most time with Sims 3, webdesign, and ironically also the 1999 Unreal Tournament. The latter was a big life-saver when all my computers had given in the next year, because I got my hands on a Pentium II system with an unidentifiable graphics controller. And it ran at stable 16 FPS!!!

A decent hardware upgrade from that allowed me to play Burnout Paradise, a snowboading simulator, FlatOut2 and other awesome games. That was when things at home were bad and things at school were good. I liked staying over for weekends, talk to people, and study, too. Well, that didn't last long either. I got burned in my first romantic relationship and got expelled from the school in three steps.

Another dark period with little to no gaming followed. Sometimes I would have a chance to play with my classmates at a cyber café, but I had to start working, so there was little time. When there was some, I would choose World of Tanks over homework and made a return to World of Warcraft, on a private server, this time.

Toward graduation, when I got mauled by a second breakup with the same girl, it was the third of Harry Potter series and Sims 3 that helped a lot. First year of university meant better computer, opportunity of independent time-management, more World of Warcraft, some NHL09, Heartstone, lot of graphics design work and some mathematics.  

My roommate was a jerk and the relationship I managed to build toward Christmas wasn't to last in romantic sense, because of the distance. I volunteered at sports events, applied to a university in the UK, watched plenty of movies, was getting fat, and when there was a chance, I enjoyed Super Hexagon, Tetris, mostly light stuff.

First year in the UK was hard. I worked in a restaurant, studied, had no time, lived in a cold house, but I was really grateful for the opportunity and went through with it. It was the nostalgia of Need for Speed Most Wanted combined with novelty of League of legends that sustained the willpower and final decision to stay.

Year later, I became ambassador of Runeterra, began to accumulate titles in my Steam library, and had a great year in general. League was a way to stay in touch with my dad, then, while story rich games slowly crawled into the longer stretches of free time I had. Portal 2, Doom 3, Audiosurf, Trackmania2 Stadium and Trackmania Turbo brought me enjoyment between lectures and writing essays back then.

Final year of university was difficult from the beginning through the end. Living with a cocaine user and DJ, I did my best to isolate, played League and League alone, slowly climbing to Silver. Moving out prematurely to seek a better accommodation helped me find a squad of gamers to stay with and my passion came back. I played X-COM, Torchlight, Shelter 2 and guess what: League!!!

In Amsterdam, things were slowly moving to shit again. And so were my gaming habits. League remained but it was generally more of a book-time. And it is only right that way. Getting the C-word diagnosis was tough and I needed a sharp change in the degree of mental stimulation. I did my best to live on and game on.

With Max Caulfield in Life is Strange, I learned that I belong among the righteous few, who actually understood the morale of the story. But it was Chloe Price, who held my hand on the way through the worst. Before the storm, was far deeper a game for me than the original, not only by diving into the core of what shaped LiS as a series, but also by the fact that I could have failed at living long enough to see it end.

On my way to recovery, I moved on to the Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Yoku's Island Express, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Horizon Chase and Zoo Tycoon 2018. Things have been hard then, especially when I woke up to see my stoma bag detached from my stomach and myself covered in excretions all over. That's probably when I needed them the most and when they were truly there to guide me, embrace me, and calm me down.

CoViD Quarantine that came not long afterwards was bearable thanks to the combination of LoL, GRID 2 that made me good at racing games, and GRID Autosport, which is even more challenging.

And coming back to this very day, I am enormously glad that I still have what to choose from and that there are my former classmates happy to have me join them playing Valorant any evening, only enhancing the experience of my comfort and the whole me time. Except I have to whine less about getting killed all the time and talk slightly less loudly while planning that invasion of site C.

And how cool is that Dan Bull released a song on this exact topic. It is by far not the only or even the most significant on the list of things that did, yet it still holds holds there.

And that is how gaming saved my life.

[everyvampiremovie]

Bit

2019/dir. Brad Michael Elmore/90 min

2.5/5★ 6/16/22

i like some parts of this film a lot! some parts i was fine with and some i’m not nuts about.

the cinematography, editing, costuming; all good. they do that thing occasionally where they change the focus of the camera to make the background look like it��s zooming out while staying focused on an actor’s face - like they are being Effected - and there’s one left to right wipe shaped around foreground elements but that’s about it for fun editing. i was kind of expecting more from how funky the poster looked but books and covers and all.

i also think the premise is kind of #girlboss, in a negative and positive way. i’ve definitely been that person who was like “yeah i want a group of gay vamps to kill homophobes!” but having got it i’m not obsessed. i actually liked the ending where the big evil vamp came back and was like “you are not immune to in-group manipulation” because it made it more interesting to think about, and yeah queer groups are not immune to infighting and abuses of power. and how sometimes people trying to recover things they’ve lost end up hurting other people.

in a similar way i feel conflicted about but also interested in mark’s monologue about being the sibling on the side. he’s definitely trying to hurt laurel at least a little, but hearing about his experience gave me some things to think about.

but the film is more typical vampire coming of age story where the vampires are girls who are dating (or whatever) each other. so in that sense it was alright!

i really hate to say it but i kind of have to, i wasn’t a big fan of nicole amber maines’ acting. she looked great, her voice is clear and sounds good, and she got the blocking but i think she needed a little more time. i’m definitely glad she got this role and i can’t wait to see the stuff she acts in later!

EDIT: oh also i forgot to talk about the final scene. laurel and mark are talking and they decide that maybe it would be better if everyone was turned into a vampire. it feels like a very syndrome-from-the-incredibles conclusion, and doesn’t seem right after the two of them had just been saying that they were turned without their consent. it feels like maybe it was supposed to be a conclusion drawn from having vampirism be a metaphor for queerness or something, but it’s the only place in the film where it does that. except for maybe when duke is giving laurel the pitch and talks about how you don’t have to give up your family, which feels like a modern evolution in queer acceptance (you can be queer and still have your family, versus the old trope of coming out and having to leave everything behind).

[pyrokinesis]

Current comics Dick Grayson comes into room, singing "Where is my baby~," and you expect him to say that to Haley, Damian, maybe even his partner, but no,

Jason Todd, wearing the original discowing suit comes in the room, holding a mug of tea and looking as annoyed as expected, "Shut up Dickie, I look like a Saturday Night Fever promotional poster,"

Dick pouts, which looks weird on someone as adult as him, and acts as if he's been hit in his heart, "You promised!"

Jason fixes fabric bothering him on his left hip, "I lost a bet and I still can't believe you wore this thing for years, what fabric is this, I washed it and it still feels like I'm wearing fabric soaked in mosquito toxin, I'm gonna have a rash by tomorrow morning,"

Dick approaches Jason, slapping his hand and fixing the suit himself, "It's polyester and some other poly-fabric B and I used before we switched to kevlar,"

Jason looks ready to murder, and some of his tea spills on the floor, "You're clothing me in the hell-damned polyester older than Regan and his atrocities,"

and oh, no, that's unacceptable, especially since,

Jason accusingly points at Dick's outfit, original adult Robin suit, in all of its headlights glory, "You're wearing a preserved leather onesie, but I'm supposed to be accept decades old polyester disco suit," absolutely unfair,

"TT," comes the sound from another room, and Damian al Ghul Wayne and Jon Kent appear, both wearing obviously matching outfits,

Dick wipes a nonexistent tear, "Sherlock and Watson, really Dami? I thought you guys will be Superman and Batman,"

Damian adjusts his hat, glacing at Jon for a moment before returning his gaze to his brother, "Now, why would we do that, Richard? Hmmmm, TT,"

Jon procures a thick notebook from one of his pockets, and a fountain pen, and starts writing in it, "We thought it'd be too obvious, and we couldn't agree on any another matching characters,"

Jason yearningly stares at the high quality fountain pen, then looks at his youngest brother and his best friend, "I will gift you children a batmobile if any of you two wears this ugly polyester suit,"

"I want batmobile as a Halloween present," everyone familiar voice says, and Stephanie Brown appears, wearing short brown wig and also familiar suit, followed by Kara Zor-El, Cassandra Cain, and Cassie Sandsmark, all wearing also similiar suits as Stephanie,

Jason almost starts crying as soon as he sees the quartet, "You four are not going as Lanterns, please tell me B's seen you,"

Cassandra smirks, leaning on Kara, "Of course he hasn't, but his reaction is crutial,"

Damian stares at Stephanie's wig, "I suppose you're going as Jordan, and you three are Gardner, Scott, and you... are going as Red Lantern, Cassandra,"

Cass points at Kara, then picks at her own blonde wig, "I asked her and she gave me permission to go as Red Lantern version of her,"

Dick mutters under his breath, "Girls, man,"

Jason tries scratch his hip, but gets his hand slapped again by his older brother, "Can you not ruin my precious first Nightwing uniform for one second,"

Cassie stares at Jason in the original Nightwing suit, and says, "that thing looks like the cheapest fabric ever, Dick, how did you even fight in this without ripping it in pieces,"

Jason laughs, "I love how we're successfully on our way to make a grown man in his thirties cry,"

Dick sighs, checking hidden pockets of his old costume, for what is to find out, "It takes more than making fun of my old suit to make me cry, I think you have mistaken me for someone else here," he says while not so subtly glancing at the man wearing his old suit,

Jason just ignores him, making a face while sipping his tea, "This is cold, ew,"

Damian looks around the room, "Where are Drake and Duke?"

Cassie laughs, "Tim is with Bernard, Kon, and Bart, they're going as the original Ghostbusters after I said I'm not doing Seinfeld with them," and there's something to be said about her orange wig,

Jon looks away from his little notebook, biting the cap of the fountain pen, and definitely not noticing disgusting looks from Cass, Jason, and Damian, "You four could've gone as The Wizard of OZ characters,"

"Yeah and then we would've have to see Tim as a Dorothy, and I don't think he can pull off such look," Jason mentions, still holding his tea and pointedly staring at the Lantern quartet, ignoring youngest Superfamily member in the room, "And also, Duke's doing several parties tonight, he'll come back after his reunion with the We Are Robin crew, I think he managed to get matching costumes with Birds of Prey or something,"

Dick tears his gaze away from his costume, "Why do you know that?"

Infamous Red Hood finishes his cold tea, putting the mug on Damian's head, who doesn't even flinch, "Because I'm Red Hood, why do you not know? Also get this shit off me before I turn it into plastic cup,"

"Jason, what are you wearing?"

Kate Kane, dressed as a flapper, is here, and the show can begin.

[scorpionyx9621]

What Dick Grayson got for his Birthday from the Bat Family

Bruce: A brand new Lexus sedan and a new tuxedo since after Blockbuster burned down his apartment AGAIN Dick is without a car and a decent tuxedo. Dick thinks Bruce went a little bit overboard with the car since Dick's old car was just a Toyota but he's happy anyways. Dick also proceeds to poke fun at Bruce for hating suits and how ironic it is that Bruce bought him one.

Jason: A brand new pair of Nike sneakers that are a size too large (don't worry Jason kept the receipt) and when no one was looking, a solid 10/10 Jason Todd hug. Dick promises not to tell anyone about the hug. As Jason threatened to go full murderous rampage if Dick even gave someone the slightest inclination that Jason is capable of caring more than snarky comments.

Barbara: A nice dinner for the two of them at Monti Sabatini, a very posh Italian restaurant in Gotham's Diamond District. Dick had a lovely table-side Ceasear salad and an absolutely delectable Lasagna. After dinner Barbara showed him a little blue box which had a thin but elegant silver chain necklace. Dick loved each and every second of the meal and loved the necklace even more.

Hailey: A bunch of warm, wet, dog kisses and an endless supply of snuggles during Dick's very rare mid day nap that was allotted for him on this even rarer day off. Dick reciprocated with plenty of pats, belly rubs, and kisses. For the world's best sidekick dog.

Tim: A $50 Wawa Gift card (Gotham City is in New Jersey I want you to look me dead in the eyes and tell me this family doesn't drink Wawa Coffee) And framed, but tattered poster of The Flying Grayson's signed by John and Mary Grayson. Dick loved the gift card but immediately started crying when he saw the poster of him and his parents. Dick has never hugged Tim tighter in his life.

Cass: A gift certificate for a free day at Gotham's new Korean spa and a bouquet of Blue Gladiolus flowers. Dick has never gotten flowers in his life and was taken aback, but was so happy because of it. Dick also was extremely excited for the spa visit. Having someone work on the tight knots in his back was going to make his (and some lucky massuese's) day.

Stephanie: A new set of boxers inside of a box armed with a glitter bomb. Dick actually complained to Steph that he really needed to buy new boxers so Dick was extremely happy for the gift. Underneath the boxers was an Intergalactic Bath bomb from Lush. Dick's never had a bath bomb before as well and figured the only way to fight the glitter covering him was with more glitter.

Duke: Three giant containers of protein powder in Dick's favorite flavor, Strawberry Cream, and very fine blue, leather-bounded journal. Dick proceeded to try to juggle the 30lb protein containers only for one to proceed to fall on his head. Dick was alright but literally everyone in the family had a panic attack at that one moment.

Damian: A blue Citizen divers watch (Dick always liked Japanese watches) and a painting of a blue bird flying majestically amongst a brilliant night's sky. Damian proceeded to gloat about how his gifts were much more expensive than Drake's. Dick thought the painting was a bit abstract but appreciated all the effort Damian took going into this. Dick also felt the watch was unnecessary but was very grateful nonetheless.

What life gave Dick Grayson for his birthday? Tons of hugs, a great meal, a stress-free day, a two-hour, uninterrupted workout session at the Batcave's gym, and a crisp, solid, uninterrupted 8 hours of sleep.

Happy Birthday Dick. You deserve it. 💙💙💙💙💙

[endmylifelad]

Jason was about to head out and go back to his safe house after being forced by Dick to come for family dinner, when he passed a room that made him have to back up and peer into.

On the couch was Duke on his laptop, furiously doing what Jason could assume was homework while cursing and grumbling. The man could relate. Curious and wanting to tease the new member of his messed up family (though Jason will take it to the grave, again, that he does call the mess of people his family and that yes, he is a part of it), the muscular young man strutted over with a smirk on his face. “Hey Duke, what up my brother.” Damn that was awful; just hearing himself made him recoil.

Duke slammed his laptop shut and stared at Jason with wide-eyes. Jason grinned “oooh you watching something inappropriate? Duke I expected better of you! Out of everyone, you’re supposed to be the innocent light!”

Duke rolled his eyes “Jason, you’re taunts and jokes are terrible today, and I am in no mood for them!” He huffed “and no. I was not doing anything inappropriate. Just…” the teen sighed and looked down “it’s stupid. I’m getting frustrated and mad at the most stupidest of things!” He threw his hands into the air “I should be frustrated that I can’t beat Sean in any activities at school! That Jessica is either playing hard to get or is not getting the hint that I like her! Or even my ever permanent C+ grade in History! Not!-” Duke went silent.

Jason frowned and pulled a chair out to face Duke who had buried his face in his hands. This was Dicks scene; making things better and you happy again - the big brother role. But Dickface wasn’t here. He’s off on a date with Kori that he had planned to propose to her. So that left the second in command to take over and step up to the table and be the one to help and fix and make things okay again and make you smile. Shit.

Good luck me and I’m sorry Duke in advance. I have no clue what the hell I’m doing!

“It’s okay to be upset. Whatever is buggin ya is important. Doesn’t matter if it’s because you’re trying so hard to be noticed by someone or figuring out what to wear or how to deal with jerks.” I’m nailing this! Jason smirked on the inside and gave himself a pat on the back. Duke shook his head and gave Jason a half smile “did Dick tell you that?” He couldn’t help himself but laugh “yeah, when I was fifteen and I was so frustrated that I couldn’t figure out somethin stupid that ended up being so easy and obvious” the two laughed and Jason was the first to collect himself “but in all seriousness, what’s up man?”

Again Duke sighed and avoided Jason’s eyes “it seems everywhere on media, people are talking about us. But in particular the ‘Wayne Boys’. Everywhere possible social media, people are only talking about you, Dick, Tim and Damian, no one else.”

An image slowly began to form in Jason’s head as he started to paint what could be upsetting his new brother that made him upset.

“This is stupid and I’m overreacting, but every time I see the posts, it frustrates me to no end because I’m a Wayne too. Have been for almost a month. I know it’s not well known, but these posters know and I… sorry this is so stupid.”

Jason looked down as he recalled his early days in the manor and some squabbles he had with Dick “I get that. Sorta. It’s hard and frustrating, I know that. I really know and get that.” He looked up at Duke who was avoiding his gaze “hey, i told you once I’ll tell you again. Whatever is botherin you is important and valid.” Duke snapped his gaze to him”even when it’s because people post things titled “The Wayne Boys Once Said, The Wayne Boys this and that…” and I’m not included in it?” Oh how hard was it to not laugh. “Y-yup!” Duke glared and with a snarky reply, Jason burst out laughing.